What a way to see the Fijian Drua kick start its Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a war dance as SANZAAR granted permission for the side in its home games in Sydney and Brisbane in the first half of the year to perform the “Bole” before their home fixtures and ahead of their first game against the Waratahs tonight.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported “the ‘away’ crowd is likely to be loud and boisterous, and it will only get louder before kick-off, with the Drua set to perform Fiji’s traditional war dance, the Bole”.
The report said the potential for a hostile atmosphere on home turf – that only gets worse if they let the Drua start strongly – is not lost on the Waratahs, however.
“NSW plan to control the game, playing in a clinical style that doesn’t allow the Fijians to wind up and energise the crowd,” the report said.
“It’s going to be great for rugby; there is a big Fijian community in Sydney, and particularly in western Sydney,” Waratahs coach Darren Coleman said.
“Every Fijian friend I know has reached out and let us know how they’re going to go.”
