The NSW Waratahs are well aware of the threat Fiji Drua fullback Atelaite Buna will bring to their quest to regain the Super Rugby Women’s title at Ballymore on Sunday.
That’s why they will be looking to hold onto the ball and nullify the electric outside back of Buna and her wingers Adita Milinia and Merewairita Neivosa.
Buna has been the find of the season for the Drua, torching the Western Force in their semi-final victory in front of a packed Suva crowd.
The livewire finished with a hat-trick of tries, 11 tackle busts and four line breaks, and Waratahs flyhalf Arabella McKenzie recognises the need to be smarter with their kicking.
McKenzie is also backing their flyers to match it with the explosiveness of the Drua, with Maya Stewart (11) the leading try scorer in 2024 while Desiree Miller scored a hat-trick in the semi-final win.
“We need to try and hold onto the ball as much as we can and use our strengths, which is our speed and running game,” McKenzie told Rugby Australia.
“They’re always surprise packages, you never know what you’re going to get on any day which can be frustrating to preview a team
“It just puts all the focus back onto us and how we prepare and train. They’ve got some amazing players and they always throw a surprise player here and there in so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
