After playing six games and a week of rest, the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua maintains its seventh spot on the ladder.
Round eight of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition begins today, which will see the Drua take on the Brumbies in Canberra.
The side has scored 25 tries and recorded 640 team carries.
The Mick Byrne-coached side, after two years of playing against top franchises in Australia and New Zealand, is slowly adapting to the pace of the competition.
This season, the side has won three taking the scalp of Moana Pasifika, reigning champion Crusaders, and that of the Melbourne Rebels.
On the other side of the ledger, the Drua has also dropped three, all away games to the Waratahs, Reds and Highlanders.
Consisting of players as young as 18, the side is slowly finding its feet and learning what it’s like to play against top opposition.
Under experienced coaching management, the players are taking in life-long learning experiences to be strong enough to face the giants of the Super Rugby competition and pave the way for Fiji rugby to head in the right direction on the field despite off-the-field bickering.
With a lot of flair to boast about, what more can a fan ask from this team?
It will be a game of chess for the coach as he decides which player to use each week, and a wrong move can cost the side dearly.
There have been a lot of changes done to the starting 23 — seasonal teams have shown the way that they have their number one side.
The rotation of players will mean a combination in a competitive game will take time to work.
The side has used 34 players this season and tonight’s game will mark the return of Kitione Taliga, Rusiate Nasove, Mesulame Dolokoto and Haereiti Hetet.
It’s rare to note that in consecutive games, the headlines will read — Byrne sticks to the same team.
It keeps changing week in and week out.
Tonight has seen some changes with seven players retained from the past game against the Rebels at the HFC Bank Stadium a fortnight ago.
The team will have Livai Natave at loosehead prop, Samuela Tawake at tighthead and Zuriel Togiatama starting in the hooker position for the first time this season.
Isoa Nasilasila will partner Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta in the second row while Ovalau giant Joseva Tamani is back in the starting line-up this week at blindside flanker.
Kitione Salawa will wear the openside flanker jersey as Elia Canakaivata will complete the loose trio at number 8.
In the backline, the right choice is for Peni Matawalu to start at halfback to enable game-day captain Teti Tela to orchestrate the backline’s moves.
The backline will also have flyhalf-turned-winger Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, the Sledgehammer Eroni Sau, Kalaveti Ravouvou at inside centre, with Iosefo Masi outside him.
Rio gold medalist Taliga completes the backline at fullback.
Dolokoto is expected to make his first appearance this season off the bench with Hetet and Jone Koroiduadua being the reserves for the props.
Leone Rotuisolia and Nasove will provide cover for the locks and backrowers while Philip Baselala will be looking to get more game time from the bench.
Michael Naitokani and Ilaisa Droasese complete the match day as cover for the outside backs.
As the Fijian Drua rested last week to reload for the next stage of its voyage with eight games left, Meli Derenalagi and his men need to know the importance of maximising opportunities for results to go their way, if they are to fulfill Byrne’s start of the season’s dream of a top eight finish.
It requires naming the right players in each encounter and playing smartly for the full 80 minutes.
It is making sure that the bonus points on offer for scoring three tries more than their opponents is not only the target, but is also secured in each game.
Every team will make every effort to be part of that top eight and the bye last weekend was a time for the Drua to reload and work on the little things that needed to be corrected.
The two seasons have been the time for each player to know the limits of one’s ability and prepare as a team to harness the passion to pursue their collective goal.
There has been a lot of bond between the players and the coach must remain steadfast as they have a strong team of leaders in captain Derenalagi and hooker Tevita Ikanivere.
Tonight Tela will wear the captain’s armband.
These leaders will influence the team.
So too has the coach, who has been sharing his plan with the team.
This is to ensure his plans are known and embraced by team members.
This, in turn, should translate working to realise the plan.
This involves getting all those little things ironed out, in the week of active rest and preparing for tonight’s game against the ACT Brumbies.
Byrne, like any other coach, will want his plan being executed with precision.
For the past games, the Fijian Drua has had average possession in its quality of turnovers and the amount of clean ball retention through teamwork.
Against the Melbourne Rebels a fortnight ago, the absence of firstchoice half back Frank Lomani saw the speed of recycling the ball and creating timely possessions.
It begs the question during Lomani’s stint with the Rebels, he was shifted to the wing.
One must understand why the coach saw him fit in the position.
Halfback is a key position that connects the forwards and the backline players.
They need quick recycling of the ball.
Peni Matawalu let the ball flow rather than play the one-man style in kicking for territory and let Tela decide the pattern of play.
He is expected to do the same tonight.
Against the Rebels, the Ra man recorded two box kicks with one resulting in replacement flanker Elia Canakaivata’s try.
The backline played flowing rugby because Matawalu organised the forwards well to set the platform for Tela, Masi, Ravouvou, Ravutaumada and full-back Droasese to play their games.
Ravutaumada, after being heavily criticised last season, has been playing a dual role in setting up tries for his teammates out on the wing.
The game a fortnight ago could be the memorable one for the former rugby league player after he scored his first Super Rugby try.
For Masi, it will be a wrong call to put him in on the wing.
After all, he has shown himself to be a game-breaker.
Someone, from the centre position, who while breaking tackles, creates scoring opportunities.
He is a slippery customer.
Ravouvou and Apisalome Vota have been in assistance of Masi in the past games.
For two games, Masi has been the player of the match.
On the other hand, Eroni Sau played a quiet game after returning from a concussion.
As tough as tonight’s game can be, the loosies in Tamani, Cirikidaveta, Canakaivata and Rotuisolia need to disrupt the Brumbies in the ruck with turnovers and stop the hosts from playing the game they want.
Brumbies have been dominant in its past games, they thrashed the Reds 52- 24 last Friday.
For the front-rowers, a department that always cost Fiji rugby, after the departure of Manasa Saulo, has seen the revelation under the leadership of Katonivere, Meli Tuni, Hetet, Kaliopasi Uluilakepa, Koroiduadua, Tawake, Timoci Sauvoli, Emosi Tuqiri, Jone Tiko and Mesake Doge, who is yet to play his first game for the Nadi-based club.
Togiatama, who will make his first start tonight, needs to better his line-out throws.
Otherwise, his overall performance has been outstanding.
Dolokoto has yet to play.
This can only be achieved with more practice during the weeklong preparation.
The next eight games will be the defining moment of the team’s quest for a spot in the top eight.
Whatever the plans Byrne has worked out for the next stage of the Drua’s journey, it’s now or never.
At a glance:
- Iosefo Masi is the leading try scorer at present for the Fijian Drua this season; with an impressive 5 tries in 6 games; and he is the second equal for most line breaks in the competition with 9
- This will be the first time Teti Tela will start a match as captain; he has, however, previously acted as captain during matches
- Isoa Nasilasila, Kitione Salawa and Iosefo Masi have started every match for the Drua this season
- The Fijian Drua will face ACT Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra at 9.35pm tonight
(Source: FIJIAN DRUA)
