Fiji coach eager to develop Richie Mo’unga’s nephew into ‘world-class’ 10

Head coach Mick Byrne believes the Flying Fijians are in a strong position to develop two young flyhalves into “world-class players” in the near future. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula and Caleb Muntz will compete for the right to wear Fiji’s No. 10 jersey over the next month.

With the Pacific Nations Cup getting underway in just over one week, the excitement and anticipation for the new-look competition is building at a rapid rate. Teams are naming training squads as they prepare for their shot at the prestigious title.

Fiji recently named a strong 30-man squad for the PNC, which includes young playmakers Armstrong-Ravula and Muntz. Armstrong-Ravula is the nephew of former All Black Richie Mo’unga, and the 20-year-old has already shown signs of promise at Test level.

When the Flying Fijians took on the All Blacks in San Diego last month, Armstrong-Ravula was named in the starting lineup for the first time. The New Zealand-born talent played 59 minutes that night and will want to build on that in the national setup.

But it’s not exactly a given that the highly-rated prospect will wear the No. 10 on his back against Samoa and Tonga over the coming weeks. Muntz is another option who will no doubt push Armstrong-Ravula to be the best that he can be.

“(Armstrong-Ravula is) just a young player that seems to have time on his hands. He works well, he understands the game well for a young player,” Mick Byrne told reporters on Thursday.

“He’s learning as well. He’s growing in confidence, he grew through the year. I think Caleb Muntz was great support for him while Caleb was out injured. Caleb was the player in the background there for him as well.

“He’s grown a lot during the year. He’s only under-20s – a young player – but what I like about him is the way he approaches the game. He likes to play an attacking style of rugby and so does Caleb.

“We’re very lucky. There was probably a time a couple of years ago when we were looking around for 10s and now we’ve got two world-class 10s – young 10s that we can develop into world-class players.”

Both Armstrong-Ravula and Muntz ply their trade in Super Rugby Pacific with the Fijian Drua. Muntz missed most of this year’s campaign through injury but returned in time for two regular season fixtures and the quarter-final loss to the Blues at Eden Park.

In the 24-year-old’s absence, Armstrong-Ravula took the opportunity to start with both hands during a breakout season. The young pivot made 14 appearances for the Drua and started in the No. 10 jersey in each of those fixtures.

Armstrong-Ravula scored more than 100 points on the Drua’s run to the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs. But after impressing after stepping up into the Test arena, it seems entirely possible that he will get a chance in the starting side again during the PNC.

But regardless of who starts as the chief playmaker for the Flying Fijians, there’s “healthy” competition between the pair and that can only be a good thing as the team looks to build through the upcoming competition and beyond.

“They work well together and they feed off each other at training and they feed off each other off the field as well around the game,” Byrne added.

“It’s a healthy position to be in. I think the Drua are, well not lucky because they’ve worked hard to get this, the Drua have done well in securing up two great, young players and they’ll grow together.

“It gives you the ability through time to make sure both players are being looked after physically as well so it’s a very exciting combination.”

Armstrong-Ravula and Muntz are two of the 23 Fijian Drua players selected in the national squad. There are only seven players who don’t play their club rugby for the Drua who have been picked in the 30-man PNC squad.

Drua hooker Tevita Ikanivere will captain a squad that includes six uncapped players. The potential debutants are Kavaia Tagivetaua, Mesake Vocevoce, Apisalome Vota, Epeli Momo, Adrea Cocagi and Vuate Karawalevu.

Coach Byrne, who spent a few seasons with the Drua, is looking forward to the “challenge” of coaching players during an international tournament who he’s been fortunate to have worked with in the past.

“Working with players you’ve been working with for the last three years is always a good thing,” he explained. “But the players are growing every year and it’s a different opposition and it’s international rugby.

“The challenge is around setting the right plans up for the players and there’s a different gameplan. (But) having a relationship with the players definitely is a benefit.”

Fiji begin their PNC campaign against Samoa on August 23. The Fijians will also play Tonga in their only other fixture in Pool A.