Swire Shipping Fijian Drua flanker Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, is back in New Zealand for personal reasons.
Head coach Glen Jackson confirmed that Cirikidaveta is managing a knee injury while supporting his wife, who is expecting their child.
“Te had a bit of a knee injury that we’ve been trying to manage well. His wife is also pregnant back home, so he’s back in New Zealand just for personal reasons to make sure that his wife has a baby and then he looks after his knee,” Jackson explained.
The coach praised Cirikidaveta’s contributions over the past three years and emphasized that family comes first.
“It was the right thing to do instead of being here and then have his wife having a baby and him not being home with her. Just for the game on Friday.”
The Drua are coming off two close losses, narrowly missing victories in the dying minutes of both matches. Jackson acknowledged the team’s struggles with closing out games, attributing part of the issue to the bench’s performance.
“Both games we could have won and probably should have won, I think there’s a bit of onus on our bench,” he admitted.
However, he praised the team’s overall effort, particularly in the last game where they nearly toppled one of the competition’s best teams.
Despite the setbacks, Jackson remains optimistic.
“It’s been a great pre-season, and again we’ve picked up two points out of the game, so it’s half a win. We’ve just got to understand that this is a massively different competition to last year,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of earning bonus points, which could be crucial in the final standings.
Reflecting on the team’s mental resilience, Jackson praised the players’ ability to adapt under challenging circumstances, including unexpected disruptions during their recent trip to Napier.
“When we got to the hotel in Napier, we didn’t have a room ready, but I know the players just got on with it. They were ready for the game, and it showed on the scoreboard,” he shared.
Heading into Friday’s clash against the Waratahs, the Fijian Drua are focused on maintaining their positive form and delivering a complete performance.
