Fiji Rugby opens permanent head coach search with Rugby World Cup 2027 in sight

Fiji Rugby has formally opened the recruitment process for a permanent Flying Fijians head coach, advertising the role publicly with a contract running from October 5, 2026, through to December 31, 2027. The appointment comes with Fiji ranked ninth in the world and the next Rugby World Cup little more than a year away.

The search follows the departure of Mick Byrne, who stepped down on April 1 after agreeing to part ways with the union. Byrne’s tenure included Fiji’s memorable run to the quarter-finals at Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. Senirusi Seruvakula was named interim head coach the same day, and was reportedly set to remain in charge for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup.

Fiji’s need for fresh direction was underlined by a difficult Nations Championship opening campaign, in which the Flying Fijians lost all three matches and conceded a points margin of negative 96.

The advertisement describes the role as “an opportunity to lead one of world rugby’s most talented national teams” and to “establish the Flying Fijians as a consistent competitor among the game’s leading nations.” The successful applicant will report directly to Fiji Rugby’s General Manager of High Performance.

Beyond match-day responsibilities, the new coach will be expected to build a world-class high-performance environment in collaboration with the Fijian Drua, national pathway programmes, provincial unions and international club partners. The role also carries responsibility for selection, succession planning and the development of homegrown coaches through the Fiji U20 and academy systems.

Seruvakula, 56, brought considerable experience to the interim post, having previously worked across both the Fijiana and Flying Fijians programmes and coached the Fijian Drua side that won Australia’s National Rugby Championship in 2018. Whether he will be considered for the permanent position has not been confirmed by the union.