Mataiasi Stark 
Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne believes Fiji’s rugby future will be defined not just by physical skill, but by the values and leadership qualities developed in players from a young age.
He says the recent rugby symposium provided the perfect platform to set out those foundations for coaches, schools, and clubs around the country.
“The symposium is the foundation for our rugby in our country. If people know where we’re trying to get to, they know the role they have in getting there. At the top end of the game, we need people who are trustworthy, disciplined, and show integrity and we can start instilling that at a young age.”
Byrne added that rugby success is about more than high-intensity training.
He highlighted the importance of nutrition, recovery, hydration, mental skills, and even public speaking as part of helping athletes grow both as players and as leaders.
He pointed to an exercise during the week where the Deans Cup captains spoke to the Flying Fijians, saying it was harder for them to stand up and share personal stories than to face a brutal final the next day.
Byrne believes those moments of growth off the field are just as important as the battles on it, and ultimately shape the kind of leaders Fiji rugby will need in the future.
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