Fiji rugby coach John McKee is keen to extend his time in charge and believes the season-ending victory over the Barbarians shows the side has an exciting future.
Enele Malele, Teti Tela, Johnny Dyer and Temo Mayanavanua all scored tries and were among 12 players to make their international debut in the 33-31 win at Twickenham, in the Flying Fijians' first showing since a disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign.
Fiji celebrate beating the Barbarians. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
John McKee, who is off-contract at the end of the year, said it was great to see so many newcomers impress.
"It's gold for us to be able to play a game like this in terms of exposing our next tier of players to the high level of competition and play in a big stadium, big crowd, the atmosphere - all those types of things," he said.
"So for those players that can be in contention for the Flying Fijians next year for them to have experienced this environment already - it's a bonus."
Fiji celebrate winning the Killik Cup after beating the Barbarians. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
One of those newcomers to catch the eye was Queensland Reds first five Teli Tela, who held his own against Springboks internationals Curwin Bosch and Morne Steyn.
"He's a player who's been playing in Brisbane and we've had an eye on him for a while," he said.
"There was a big question to see how he could step up and certainly he really directed play very well, was always very threatening with the ball and did a lot of very very good things in the game."
Thirteen members of the Fijian Drua squad that reached the Australian National Rugby Championship semi-finals also featured against the Barbarians, and McKee is expecting many to have piqued the interest of clubs in the Northern Hemisphere.
"Johnny Dyer, we know what a strong player, he's been at NRC level so it was great to see that he can step up and show the same type of impact at this higher level," he said.
"I think out of that game there will certainly be some interest in some players - maybe that the clubs in Europe didn't know much about."
Johnny Dyer was among Fiji's try-scorers. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
McKee has been in charge of the Flying Fijians since 2014 but said he has been in discussions with the Fiji Rugby Union and is hopeful of being reappointed for another four-year term.
"As it stands my contract finishes on 31 December so I'm expecting to get some news next week when I return to Fiji as to whether there's any likelihood that that could continue or it will end at that point," he said. "It's in the board's hands now and that will be their decision to make."
"I really hand my hat on the performances over the years, the special moments and wins over tier one teams: beating Scotland and Italy twice in Fiji and France in France last November. They were big moments for us," recalled the New Zealand coach when asked to name the highlights from his five and a half years at the helm.
Fiji coach John McKee holds the Killik Cup after beating the Barbarians. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"For me it's also about some of the things that we've put in place on the ground in terms of our player development and working with Bill Gadolo and Sale Sorovaki and the guys around the academy and building that up to develop our players," he said.
"You see the [Under] 20s have got back into the championship - that's been very important for Fiji Rugby and, although [I was] not directly involved with that team, having being instrumental in helping get the academy operating properly it means that we've now got a good depth of young players and looking at this group that went to the Barbarians that wouldn't be possible without that elite player development pathway."
