Swire Shipping Fijian Drua duo Iosefo Masi and Vilive Miramira are gearing up for an epic showdown against the unbeaten Hurricanes in another round of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on Friday night.
Masi, the stalwart centre of the team, is adamant that Friday’s match is a must-watch.
“This is the game to watch as we all know the Hurricanes haven’t lost a game this season. It will be a good game,” Masi said.
Known for his slicing runs through defensive lines, Masi acknowledges the challenge ahead, especially with Drua’s unbeaten record at home this season.
“This year we haven’t lost any home game. As I said, it’s a game to watch, it will be a tough, physical game.”
Flanker Miramira echoes Masi’s sentiments, emphasising the team’s aim to dominate every aspect of the game.
“We are playing against an unbeaten team after seven rounds so it will be a good game,” Miramira said.
Both players are rallying for fan support on Friday night, urging loyal Drua fans to turn out in numbers and cheer on both the men’s and women’s. The Drua W are hosting their first home Super W semi-final in the double header.
“We want all our loyal Drua fans to come out in numbers and support the boys and the ladies hosting their first home semi- final.
“We need your prayers,” the duo added.
Meanwhile, Hurricanes assistant coach Jamie Mackintosh recognises the challenge posed by the Fijian Drua.
Speaking to Newshub, Mackintosh emphasises the need for his team to be physically prepared for what promises to be a brutal contest.
“Get ready for a war or it’s going to be a long day,” Mackintosh told media on Monday.
“The people are amazing, it’s a friendly place, but they love to beat you up.
“Crowd noise, slippery ball, the way the Fijian boys use momentum — it’s something incredible that they get over there. They get up on top of the grass and they start playing their game and they’re really difficult to stop.
“And I’ll tell you one thing – if you’re not physical and not winning collisions both with and without the ball on defence, it’s going to be a long day,” Mackintosh said.
The Drua W face the Force at 4.35pm while the men take on the Hurricanes at 7.05pm.
