Five years of passion, sacrifice and belief are slowly coming to an end for Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson as he prepares for what could be his final match in charge against the Queensland Reds tomorrow night in Brisbane.
And for the man who helped build the club from its infancy into a respected Super Rugby side, emotions are beginning to sink in.
“Being the coach of the Drua, you don’t really get time to stop and think about it.
“There’s always something going on. I’m sure afterwards it’ll be a little bit emotional.”
Jackson said naming the team earlier this week was already a difficult moment, especially seeing how many original players part of the journey are still.
“Naming the team yesterday was pretty emotional around that, especially with nine guys lucky enough to be in this team that are original players from the first year.
“So being with them feels like a long time, if you include the Flying Fijians beforehand for a couple of years. So seven years with some of these boys and it’s time for someone else to take the reins.”
From navigating the challenges of COVID-19 to helping establish the Drua as a competitive force in Super Rugby, Jackson said the experience had been one of the proudest chapters of his career.
“Certainly, a great, great team to be part of. Great for my family and grateful for having the five years here.”
But before the curtain closes, Jackson had one final heartfelt message for the fans who stood by the Drua through every high and low.
“Just a massive thank you for the support, for the true fans that give us really good support.
“It’s always a delight walking around Fiji and the support that you feel for what the brand means.”
Jackson acknowledged the difficult road the Drua have travelled in one of rugby’s toughest competitions, saying supporters should remain proud of what the young franchise has achieved in only five seasons.
