Blues head coach Leon MacDonald believes the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua have built a fortress for their home games.
The Auckland-based side take on the Drua this Saturday at Churchill Park in Round 10 of Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition at 2.05pm.
“It is a different environment in Fiji and the Drua at home play with a lot of freedom and confidence,” he said as the team arrived in the country yesterday.
The former All Blacks flyhalf said for them, this would be one of the biggest games of the season.
“It is one of the games we have been looking forward to all year. It is nice to be here and there is also a nice balance of enjoying the Fijian hospitality, but we are also aware that we have a important job as well.”
MacDonald has named the strongest possible XV to face the Drua.
“We need our strongest team to be playing at our best to get a win. Even a win with one point is enough because we know we would be scrapping hard to get a win.”
He said the team was under no illusion on how hard it would be to get a win.
“We will have to fight to get a win and most importantly we have to tackle really well because the Drua are very dangerous with the ball.
“They are also very creative with the tries they score and come over from all over the park.
“We cannot lose concentration with the heat and crowd both not in our favour and we just cannot afford to lapse at any point otherwise we would be made to pay.”
