WHILE discipline is a factor that Swire Shipping Fijian Drua co-captain Temo Mayanavanua has credited as something that cost them greatly in their 31-47 defeat to the Chiefs, he says there were a lot of positives that shone through during the match yesterday.
“Discipline is something that let us down and we’ve told the group that if we could cut that down, we could minimise all the errors that we’ve done today that we could have given the Chiefs a better game or come out with the result that we wanted,” Mayanavanua told Times Sport.
“But other than that, it’s the first pre-season, a whole bunch of new players. We’re working on some combinations, some new inclusions also into the team as well.
“So we’re working around that but other than that, there’s a whole lot of positives that came out of today (yesterday).”
He also mentioned how the team overcame certain shortfalls in their defence and the onus on heading back to camp to work on those areas. “We had a couple of options coming in today. Hats off to the Chiefs; they’re really good at defending aerially and we’ll go back to the drawing board.
“We’ll work on things that we can do well and on the flip side of it, I thought that we looked after the counter-attack really well.
“The boys were shifting the ball really well, they managed to gain line on the edges.”
Next on the list is their second pre-season trial match back home at Churchill Park in Lautoka next Friday, when they meet the Skipper Select XV side at 4pm.
Tora relishes chance
RELISHING the opportunity to watch the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua to play at Blake Park in Mount Manganui, New Zealand yesterday, Mere Tora was out with her two daughters to cheer them on when they faced the Chiefs in their Super Rugby Pacific pre-season trial match.
Tora, who came over from Fiji three weeks ago to see her two daughters in Tauranga, made the 11minute journey from there to Blake Park to see the Fijian Drua face the Gallagher Chiefs.
“I’m just here for a holiday, I’ve got two daughters who live here,” Tora explained.
“As I said, it’s not every day that a Fijian rugby team comes here (to Mount Manganui). And with such nice weather, it’s just like being in Fiji and even the locals are looking forward to this game.”
She also shared the previous relation the Chiefs shared with Fiji prior to the Fijian Drua’s entry into the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition.
“At one stage for the Chiefs, Fiji was their home ground so I think the connection was already tghere but the fact that we all love rugby; we’re just looking forward to the game today.”
Meanwhile, the Fijian Drua were defeated 31-47 by the Chiefs in a match where the Drua’s tries were scored by Joe Tamani with two, Iosefo Namoce, Motikiai Murray and Ilaisa Droasese.
