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Fijian Drua coach trolls Waratahs counterpart after golden point win
By Ned Lester
Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne has been keeping receipts and had a tongue-in-cheek response after his side beat the Waratahs in Lautoka in round five.
The win was the Drua's second of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific campaign and condemned the Waratahs to 10th place on the competition table, with just one win over the Crusaders to show for the Sydneysiders' efforts so far this season.
It was a dramatic encounter with the scores tied at full time resulting in a golden point passage of play. Waratahs first five-eighth Tane Edmed missed a drop goal for the win before super sub Kemu Valetini nailed an attempt of his own to steal the win, inspiring raucous applause from the Fijian faithful.
Following the win, Byrne fronted media sporting a Chicago Bulls cap, a curious choice but one that was sparked by Waratahs coach Darren Coleman two years prior.
Following the Waratahs' 40-10 win over the Drua to open the 2022 season - the Drua's first season in Super Rugby - Coleman attempted to temper expectations with what could be considered a not-so-delicately put dig at the Fijian team.
Coleman said "It wasn't like we beat the Chicago Bulls", a line that must have stuck with Byrne and the Drua.
Fast forward to Lautoka 2024 and Byrne and the Drua have grown to be a highly competitive outfit, especially when running out on home soil.
"We may not have played like the Chicago Bulls, and we may not have won like the Chicago Bulls, but we won," Byrne told media following the win.
The moment was shared on the Drua's social media and praised by pundits over the weekend.
"He's not just wearing his heart on his sleeve, he's holding a grudge! And you use that," Former All Black Jeff Wilson reacted on The Breakdown.
"When you're a coach you'll find whatever works to get a little extra out of your team. The players who were involved would have remembered that. But that's gold. That's outstanding.
"(The result) wasn't convincing in the end, he would've liked it to have been easier. I wonder if the hat was sitting there and he was going ‘Oh dear, this might not get used today'."
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Latest Comments
No just because the personal is much better than last year. I've shown no antagonism of Crusader players, you must be confusing me with someone else.
I have critized Razor for picking players he knows occasionally?
I said I'm not surprised because of his style, he's more a grinder player like Cane, not going to show up on peoples radar until you see how bad the other choices are. This year players like Clarke have been on fire and just show a bit more.
Are you one of those posters continually taking it easy on Razor because he doesn't have his Crusaders stars available? Do you think the rugby world is going to up to him suddenly once Mo'unga returns? lol
Go to commentsJohn you have been beating this drum for a couple of years, if you get proven right get back to us.
The last recent and decent Aussie coach was Ewen McKenzie, he was undermined and forced out by a couple of slimy Aussie players who were given a free pass when they should have been disciplined.
So our history since McQueen is very checkered and it seems to make little difference whether we have an Aussie coach or a Kiwi coach. The players have been entitled for a long time and we had to hit bottom to get them back into reality and to stop thinking it is all about them.
Cheika was an OK coach but his 'go our and destroy the opposition' tactic worked for a while and then didn't.
Please give me a list of great Aussie coaches that I have missed.
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