Ex-All Blacks coach rubbishes Fiji bigwig’s claim for axing: ‘I just want to clear the air’
Ex-Fiji rugby head coach Mick Byrne and an inset of the players performing the Cibi.
Mick Byrne has rubbished claims that he left his role as Fiji’s head coach due to health issues, stating that he was removed from his position instead.
In April, the Fijian Rugby Union announced the departure of the Australian coach after a solid 2025 campaign, which included a Pacific Nations Cup title and narrow defeats to Australia and France.
Byrne’s side also produced a strong showing against England, falling to a 38-18 defeat, but despite the encouraging results, Fiji felt that a change was needed ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Senirusi Seruvakula taking over.
The Fijian Rugby Union stated that they had ‘mutually agreed to part ways’ with Byrne but didn’t further elaborate on the reasons for the decision until chairman John Sanday later told local media that his health was a factor, claiming that the Australian had “ongoing health battles”.
Mick Byrne: “I just want to clear the air on my situation”
Byrne has managed prostate cancer for almost a decade, including over the past 12 months, but says that his health wasn’t the reason he was moved on by Fiji.
“I just want to clear the air on my situation, I didn’t resign, and I do not have any ongoing health issues,” Byrne told Nine.com.au.
“The chairman coming out, he was respectful in what he said but he was just incorrect. I don’t have any ongoing health battles, and they knew that.
“It’s challenged me around future earnings. I don’t want to harp on it too much because it just fuels a bit of that fire, and I want to continue working.”
The publication was shown the coach’s medical reports, which stated that he had a ‘favourable prognosis and there are no medical concerns that would reasonably interfere with his ability to continue performing his current professional duties.’
Fiji’s Rugby World Cup chances
Byrne, who was part of the All Blacks coaching staff for their 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup triumphs, adds that he wanted to lead the Fijians through to the 2027 tournament in Australia and did not resign from his role. Instead, he agreed to an undisclosed settlement to walk away from the position with his contract running through to December 2027.
“I was just disappointed that it was mentioned that I resigned because of ongoing health issues,” Byrne said. “That’s not the case at all. I was removed from my role so that Fiji Rugby could move in a new direction.”
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Since the news of his departure, the coach has been bombarded with well wishes from fans, players and fellow coaches, which has put him in an awkward position as he has had to explain that there is ‘nothing wrong’.
While he would have liked to stay on as Fiji’s head coach, Byrne believes the Pacific Islanders have a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals again, as they did in 2023.
“They’ve got to beat Spain, Canada and Argentina, and that route after winning that pool is very, very achievable,” he said.
“If they win their pool, they’re going to miss the top three teams in the world, which is a pretty handy side (of the draw) to be on.”
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