We’ve waited until round 14 but it’s great to have the Fijian Drua finally back in Suva for today’s must-win clash with the NSW Waratahs.
The Drua are hoping to make it three consecutive home wins, after wins over the Western Force in Lautoka and the Highlanders in Ba.
The 10-point win over the Highlanders a fortnight ago might have kept the Drua’s slim play-off hopes alive, but last week’s bye didn’t help. So, the current scenario looks like this. Win all three remaining games and hope other results go their way.
The Drua are fresh after the bye and have a fairly settled team, but it’s a different story for the Waratahs.
They’ve been clocking up frequent flyer miles with games in Christchurch and Dunedin in two of the past three weeks. This week they’ve been forced to make eight changes to the starting team.
The Waratahs have lost seven of their past nine games including the last three on the trot. It’s not the sort of form to excite their fans who’ve been waiting 12 years for a second title.
The Drua have played the Waratahs and Brumbies eight times, more than any other teams, so they know what to expect from the opposition today. Since the Drua played the Waratahs in their first ever Super Rugby Pacific match in 2022, the Tahs have won six while the Drua have won two.
The home team has won the last five matches, so going on that stat, it’s the Drua’s turn to win.
The Tahs have lost both games on Fiji soil so far and they’re one of three teams the Drua has never lost to on home soil. The others are the Force and the Melbourne Rebels.
This is the first visit to Suva for the Waratahs who are on a 15-game losing streak outside Australia.
Their last win abroad was over the Highlanders in Dunedin four years ago.
They need to turn things around in a hurry as this is their last game away from Australia in the regular season.
The Drua have won four of their last five home games. Motivation is not a problem as they want to finish the home season on a high and stay in the play-off race.
It’s also Head Coach Glen Jackson’s final home game.
Jackson said this week that he’s trying to keep his emotions under control, but it can’t be easy.
He’s been in the Drua coaching team since day one, and if they can get another win over the Waratahs today, he deserves to join in some celebrations.
He doesn’t want it to be about him though, and he wants his players to focus on the three remaining games in the regular season.
He likened it to a three-test series against Aussie sides. Waratahs today, and then two away games against the Force in Perth and Reds in Brisbane.
He said last week’s bye came at a good time as they had a tough eight-week block of games. Now the players are refreshed, and he wants them to play their natural game and enjoy themselves in front of their Suva fans who’ve been waiting patiently.
Unlike the first few years when the Drua relied on their attacking ability to lay the platform for home wins, it’s been their defence that has also stood out this year. They haven’t scored more than 24 points in their last two home wins, but their defence has been the difference.
Players like Kitione Salawa have been leading the tackle count and Jackson is expecting another tough battle at the breakdown. He says the Drua must look after their own ball and give the in-form backs a good platform from which to attack.
There’s just one change to the starting backline today. Manasa Mataele comes in for Joji Nasova on the wing.
Up front, Peni Ravai starts at loosehead prop in place of the injured Haereiti Hetet who has been ruled out for the rest of the season, stranded on 48 caps.
Etonia Waqa also returns in place of Jo Tamani.
Frank Lomani will start on the wing again, with Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa at scrumhalf. Jackson says he needs both internationals on the park, and while he doesn’t see Lomani playing wing forever, he knows his co-captain will deliver out wide. The Drua have gone for a six-two split on the bench.
The Waratahs have been forced to make four changes to their starting pack and four in their run-on backline.
While Teddy Wilson and Jack Bowen are club mates at Eastern Suburbs and both sons of Wallabies, it’s a rare start in the Waratahs’ halves for them.
Once again, all eyes will be on classy backs Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen to see if they can create some havoc like they did against the Highlanders last week. The Tahs lost the match, but both finished with impressive individual stats.
Tahs’ coach Dan McKellar says his team must start well unlike last week in Dunedin when they gave the Highlanders a big lead before mounting a comeback that fell just short.
I’m expecting a close contest, and fans need to turn up early as it’s a double header.
The Fijian Drua women play the Waratahs women in a trial game from 1pm, with the men’s fixture kicking off at 4.30.
Toso Drua Toso.
