Fiji name ex-All Blacks consultant David Ellis as interim defence coach for Pacific Nations Cup

Fiji Rugby have appointed David Ellis as interim defence coach for the Flying Fijians ahead of the Pacific Nations Cup, which takes place over consecutive weekends in Japan this month. Ellis joins an interim management group led by head coach Senirusi Seruvakula as Fiji prepare to defend their PNC title.

Ellis brings more than 25 years of coaching experience to the role, encompassing over 1,000 professional club matches and involvement in approximately 200 Test matches, with a specialism in defensive systems. His most prominent international posting came with France, where he served as defence coach from 2000 to 2011, helping Les Bleus win multiple Six Nations titles and reach the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final — a match they lost to New Zealand by a single point.

He also worked with the All Blacks as a coaching consultant during their 3-0 series sweep of the British and Irish Lions in 2005, and most recently assisted Romania through their qualification campaign for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. At club level, his CV includes stints at Gloucester, Castres Olympique, CA Brive, London Irish and Lyon.

Fiji open their PNC title defence against Canada in Osaka on 12 September. The appointment comes after a difficult Nations Championship campaign in July, in which the Flying Fijians fell to Wales, England and Scotland in three consecutive weekends without registering a win.

The interim nature of the wider coaching setup reflects a broader transition at Fiji Rugby. CEO Koli Sewabu confirmed last month that Seruvakula would remain in charge for the PNC, but the union has since advertised publicly for a permanent head coach to lead the team through to the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. The advertisement describes the role as “an opportunity to lead one of world rugby’s most talented national teams” and to establish Fiji “as a consistent competitor among the game’s leading nations.”