AFTER a week of preparing themselves to start their round nine Super Rugby Pacific match against the Highlanders well, the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua was not able to do so on game day.
These were the thoughts of head coach Glen Jackson to the media following the team’s 20-43 defeat at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand last Saturday.
“We just didn’t start the game well. We’ve talked about it all week about starting well and if you give a team as good as the Highlanders or any team, doesn’t matter if they’re good or not, a five-point head start for a minute (and) thirty (seconds) makes it a little bit hard,” Jackson reflected.
With the team trailing at half-time with a 8-17 deficit, he spoke of their effort in powering through following the break for players Isikeli Rabitu and Ponipate Loganimasi to score their tries which advanced the game to its final scores.
“And to go and score after half-time, I think it was good credit for the boys to fight back and we fought back really well in that second half but unfortunately the last pass from Elia (Canakaivata) where we would have scored in the corner sort of was a 14-point try in the other end,” he added.
Despite the team’s placing at the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific standings and a season filled with more losses than wins, Jackson remained optimistic of the side’s progression.
“I know they have been trying really hard. I know it’s a young group of men trying to gel together,” he reasoned.
Meanwhile, the Drua return home where they face the Waratahs in round ten of the competition at Churchill Park in Lautoka this Saturday.
The two teams face-off once more following their initial meeting in round three in February, where the Waratahs won 29-24.
