KEY POINTS:
New Zealander Wayne Pivac has quit as coach of the Fijian national rugby side just eight months out from the World Cup in France, citing family reasons and denying he's leaving the team in the lurch.
Pivac, who has just finished his third year in charge of Fiji after a successful stint with Auckland in the old National Provincial Championship, told NZPA he was returning home to be with his wife and children.
"My family went back to New Zealand on April 16, 2006, so it's been a bit of a battle off the field, if you like, in terms of just hard on the kids -- my boys are 11 and 13.
"We made a decision at Christmas time when I was home that the best thing for the family was for me to return."
Pivac said despite it being just eight months until the world cup, he felt he was leaving Fijian rugby in a better state than he found it, and was confident the team could be contenders to make the quarterfinal knockout stages of the tournament.
He said Epi Tawake, former Wallaby Ilivasi Tabua, and former ex-Auckland winger Iliesa Tanivula would all be in line to replace him at Fiji's helm.
Pivac denied he was leaving Fiji in the lurch so close to the World Cup.
"There will be some very disappointed people, there will be some very disappointed players," he said.
"At the end of the day, it hasn't worked out for the family."
He had tried regular visits back to Auckland, and with the family visiting Fiji.
"The kids have tried really hard and done really, really well, but the 11 and the 13-year-old said 'Dad, we want you to come home'."
He conceded frustrations getting Fiji's strongest side on the park for tests during his tenure.
"On paper we've got a pretty good squad but unfortunately in the three years we've been here, we haven't been able to put that paper team together," he said.
"That is a frustration that every coach, not only in Fiji but the Pacific Islands faces -- we don't have the funding to contract our players to the level they do in NPC, let alone Super 14 or these clubs in Europe."
He had just spent time setting up a gymnasium in Sigatoka and was confident local players would be much better looked after than in the past.
"I can only see Fiji getting stronger through to 2011."
He was disappointed not to be taking the team to the world cup but looked back fondly on taking the sevens side to world cup glory two years ago in Hong Kong.
Pivac said he was "putting out some feelers" for a new job and would not rule out a tilt at the All Blacks one day.
"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves -- just a job back in rugby in New Zealand would be nice.
"Every rugby player's dream in New Zealand is to be an All Black and once you start coaching I guess it's nice to be paid to do your sport and I'm lucky enough to be into my 11th season," he said.
"If the roller coaster ride continues, then I'm happy to stay on it."
Pivac's shock resignation came only hours after Fiji's high performance unit manager Peter Murphy announced he was looking at importing an attacking and defensive specialist to work with the unit and Pivac.
Murphy's unit also confirmed that former All Blacks great Grant Fox and former Wallaby front row Matt Ryan will travel to Fiji to help the side in the kicking and scrummaging aspects of the game.
- NZPA
