'Hope they feel nice and warmed up': Fiji coach takes swipe at Wallabies after Test thriller in Newcastle
Updated . First published at
NEWCASTLE: Fiji coach Mick Byrne indicated his team had been motivated by a perceived lack of respect before nearly shocking the Wallabies again on Sunday.
Almost all the attention from Australia's rugby community has been focused on the British and Irish Lions tour, which is three games in and building towards the first Test in Brisbane on July 19.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson saved Australia's bacon with a 79th-minute try in Newcastle to secure a 21-18 victory.
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Fiji, ranked ninth in the world, had beaten the eighth-ranked Australia in their last meeting at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
"Everyone's talking about the Wallabies' warm-up game, so I hope they feel nice and warmed up," Byrne said post-match.
"I wouldn't be taking too much away from our effort today. I wouldn't be going down the road saying the Wallabies didn't step up. I'd say, 'Get ready for us. We're coming'."
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To be clear, the Wallabies themselves did not refer to the fixture as a warm-up game.
Australia coach Joe Schmidt lavished praise on Byrne's men post-game while admitting Fiji hadn't received their full attention.
"It is inevitable to a degree. Sometimes you try to talk yourself into something and try to narrow the focus but inevitably we were watching the game last night with the Waratahs playing the Lions. We watched as a team when the Reds played them, as well," Schmidt said.
"We've got players from both those teams involved in the squad so there's skin in the game there.
"I've no doubt that that might leak in but I certainly wouldn't be looking to use it as an excuse.
"You've got to be good enough in Test match footy to win the moments you need to in the game that's right in front of you."
Mick Byrne during his time as skills coach of Australia. Getty
Byrne also called for Rugby Australia to take a Test to Fiji while querying the decision to scrub out what would have been a vital second-half try to Sireli Maqala.
Replays showed Wallabies winger Harry Potter had stepped on the touchline in the build-up to the try.
"I just need to clarify with World Rugby," said Byrne, a former AFL player and Wallabies assistant coach.
"The Brumbies got a try taken off them this year and I think they went back 19 phases. I understand that. You can go back as many phases as you can in your possession.
"I didn't know now we can go back to opposition possession, as well. Maybe next year when they change it, we might be able to go back 10 minutes and find something. Maybe I'm wrong.
"I'll just get clarity on it because I thought you could only go back on your possession."
