AFTER a good battle against the Chiefs last weekend, the Fijian Drua take on the Otago Highlanders at the Four R Stadium in Ba.
Despite the huge public backlash after the Chiefs game, Coach Glen Jackson says the mood in camp is good, and his players are ready for the new challenge this week. A lot of comments singled out a blunder by fullback Ilaisa Droasese, which was a turning point in the match.
“To have a moment like that is not good for anyone,’’ Jackson said.
“I know Fijians and people who watched it will not like what they see. But for me, as the head coach, I have to make sure the players are okay and understand why he did it. We’ve moved on pretty quickly from there.
“The Highlanders are a hard and scrappy team. They will fight for everything. They are probably a little bit like us. They’ve played some really good rugby and probably have not always had the winning result. We know the competition is still up for grabs and it’s going to be a massively intense game in Ba.’’
Issak Fines Leleiwasa returns to the starting halfback position while Philip Baselala covers for him on the bench.
Interestingly, Jackson has selected another halfback in his starting lineup. Frank Lomani will be on the right wing; a tactic used in earlier rounds of competition when the Drua suffered injuries on the wings. Local boy, Joji Nasova, will be on the left wing.
Virimi Vakatawa maintains his spot at inside centre. It will be exciting to see him go head to head against Highlander’s juggernaut and fellow Fijian, Timoci Tavatavanawai.
Elia Canakaivata starts at number eight and celebrates his 50th Super Rugby appearance for the Fijian franchise, while the in-form Isoa Tuwai returns to the bench. Tuwai has been a solid runner from the back of the Drua scrums in recent weeks.
Tuidraki Samusamuvodre reclaims his outside jersey. After a great debut against the Chiefs, Maika Tuitubou will provide cover on the bench.
Utility back Isikeli Rabitu will be the starting fullback as Ilaisa Droasese missed selection.
The Highlanders are coming off a tough win against Moana Pasifika and plan to unveil a limited Fijian edition Highlanders jersey to mark this Round 12 fixture.
This match will be very telling because the statistics on the overall table are very close. The Highlanders are currently in seventh place with 20 points, while the Drua are in ninth place with 16 points. Both teams have recorded four wins and six losses each. The Highlanders only edge out the Drua in terms of the bonus points they have earned throughout the season.
The match kicks off at 4pm (Fiji time) on Saturday.
