THE McDonald’s Fijian Drua Women are placing a major emphasis on winning the physical battle as they prepare for their home Super Rugby Women’s semi-final against the Queensland Reds at Churchill Park next Saturday.
Head coach Mike Legge said defence, collisions and accuracy at the breakdown had been the key areas during training.
Legge said he was pleased with the intensity shown by his players and believed they were in a good position heading into the knockout clash.
“The girls put in a lot of effort, especially around our defence and our collision. I’m really pleased with where they’re at and how they’ve come back after the week off,” he said.
While the Drua defeated the Reds 50-17 in Round 4 of the Super Rugby Women’s, Legge expects a much tougher challenge this time after the Australian side’s physical performance against the Waratahs in the final round.
“Our focus has been around the collision since the start of the season, and I still think we have room for improvement. The Reds won’t be the same team we played last time. They’ve come off a very physical game, so we’ve got to be clinical and accurate around the breakdown, our tackling and in the collision. If we can win those battles, it’ll go a long way towards winning the semi-final.”
Legge credited the side’s unity as its greatest strength, saying the players’ willingness to fight for one another throughout the full 80 minutes had been a defining feature of their campaign.
He also praised the team’s leadership group for keeping the squad united throughout the season.
Securing a home semi-final had been one of the Drua women’s major goals, but Legge reminded his players that finishing as minor premiers would count for little without lifting the championship trophy.
“It’s massively important to play at home because we’ve got the greatest fans in the world. But it also brings pressure because we know we have to perform.”
The Fijian Women Drua takes on Queensland Reds next Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
