Fiji Rugby put public ad out for new head coach

Fiji Rugby has publicly advertised for a new Flying Fijians head coach, with the successful applicant tasked with leading the Pacific island nation into the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Fiji endured a difficult Nations Championship opening campaign, losing all three games and ending up with a points margin of negative 96.

Earlier this month, interim boss Senirusi Seruvakula was reportedly set to remain in charge of Fiji for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup, which gets underway in just under a month, according to Fiji One News. 

The Fiji Rugby Union announced in April that Seruvakula had been appointed on an interim basis after the governing body and former head coach Mick Byrne agreed to part ways.

Byrne stepped down from the role with immediate effect on April 1, ending a tenure that included Fiji’s memorable run to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in France in 2023.

Seruvakula was unveiled as Byrne’s successor later that same day. The 56-year-old brought considerable experience to the position, having previously worked with both the Fijiana and Flying Fijians programmes, while also coaching the Fijian Drua side that won Australia’s National Rugby Championship in 2018.

Now, with Fiji ranked ninth in the world and little more than a year out from Rugby World Cup 2027, the union has formally opened the recruitment process for a permanent head coach.

According to the advertisement, the contract will run from October 5, 2026, through to December 31, 2027, with the successful candidate reporting directly to Fiji Rugby’s General Manager of High Performance.

“The Fiji Rugby Union invites applications for the position of Head Coach, Flying Fijians, Fiji’s national men’s XV team,” the advertisement states.

“This is an opportunity to lead one of world rugby’s most talented national teams through the period to Rugby World Cup 2027 and to establish the Flying Fijians as a consistent competitor among the game’s leading nations.”

The governing body says the new coach will be expected to create and lead a world-class high-performance environment while working closely with Fiji Rugby’s High Performance Unit, the Fijian Drua, national pathway programmes, provincial unions and international club partners.

The successful candidate will be charged with driving Fiji’s high-performance programme, overseeing selection, succession planning and the national team’s coaching and support structures. The role also carries responsibility for strengthening pathways by working closely with the Fijian Drua, Fiji U20 and academy systems while developing homegrown coaches.