THE playoff dream is still alive for the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side as they prepare for a crucial Round 14 clash against the NSW Waratahs this Saturday at HFC Bank Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific encounter, Drua head coach Glen Jackson said the side remained fully confident of making the top six despite a tight points table and unpredictable results across the competition.
“Oh, 100 per cent,” Jackson said when asked if the dream was still alive.
“And the boys know that. So, we’re motivated to first of all get our most wins that we’ve had as a club. We’re one away from that.”
Jackson said the Drua were focused on taking one game at a time while continuing to tick off important milestones for the franchise.
“You never know with this tournament. You could win two of them and still get through. So what a great comp.”
The Drua coach also backed captain Frank Lomani to continue the wing after another strong performance there in recent weeks.
Jackson admitted the positional switch has not been easy for Lomani, who is naturally a halfback, but praised his commitment to the team.
“Frank is the ultimate club man.
“He is a halfback just playing on the wing for us. To be a captain and willing to do that for us is unbelievable.”
Jackson said Lomani’s defensive work against the Highlanders was outstanding, particularly around the breakdown where he created turnovers and added intensity to the Drua defence.
While the Drua are widely known for their attacking flair, Jackson believes their defensive improvement this season has been one of the biggest positives for the club.
He credited assistant coach Greg Fleming for helping build strong defensive systems within the squad.
