Mataiasi Stark 
Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne says while defending the Pacific Nations Cup title is the team’s main focus, the tournament’s impact on Rugby World Cup rankings is also an important consideration.
The Pacific Nations Cup results will contribute to the men’s world rankings, which in turn will determine the seeding for the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw in December.
Byrne acknowledged the rankings factor but stressed it would not distract from the immediate job at hand.
“It’s not that it concerns us, but it’s definitely there in the background. Our focus is to prepare and play our best rugby every time and to do the job we need to do that’s in front of us.”
He noted that World Rugby’s decision to finalise the pools closer to the tournament, a change from previous editions gives teams like Fiji a better chance to influence their draw through consistent performances.
The Flying Fijians will open their Pacific Nations Cup campaign against Tonga on the 30th of this month at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
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