Fijian Drua

Poor starts again prove costly for Drua

The Drua went down 50-17 at FMG stadium in Hamilton on a wet and soggy night on Friday in their Super Rugby Pacific match.

RNZ reports it left Mick Byrne lamenting the poor start to the game.

"Obviously the scoreboard was disappointing tonight but when we get back, we have four of our last six games at home," he said.

"We`ve building nicely through the year but the boys are going to look forward to getting on the plane tomorrow and getting home.

Work underway at stadium ahead of Fijian Drua’s second home game

The Drua’s Events and Operations Manager Eleina McDonald said the stadium can hold 15,000 people.

McDonald said the venue is being prepared in a way that will provide spectators with a top-class experience.

She is urging fans to come with their families to support the Drua and also to take advantage of the entertainment and programme for the day.

Kemu Valetini ruled out for Rebels clash

The side play the Melbourne Rebels this Saturday at 3:35pm at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash.

The injury was sustained during last weekend’s game against the Highlanders, forcing Valetini to leave the field early.

Valetini, who kicked the winning penalty against the Crusaders in Lautoka, is known for his impact off the bench.

His absence is expected to be felt by the Drua, who are set to face a tough challenge against their upcoming opponents.

     

Fijian Drua winger Eroni Sau fails HIA

Sau failed his Head Injury Assessment (HIA) and will be rested for a game according to World Rugby’s HIA protocols.

Sau was injured in the match against the Reds on Sunday.

Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne said the ‘Sledgehammer’ will return to the country.

“In protocols around the game, he needs to stand down for a game. He is good, doing well, no serious adverse effects but obviously not passing HIA just means he has to stand down. He’ll head back to Fiji and recover back there and we’ll pick him up when we get there after the Highlanders weekend.”

Basics let Drua down in close loss

That was the Fijian Drua's biggest problem as they went down fighting, 27-24, in a close battle with the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday.

While offloads did wonders for the Fijian side, it also turned out to punish the team when they went overboard with it at crucial moments, resulting in knock-ons and losing possession, especially in the team's red zones.

Another area the Drua were culpable was not being quick enough to support the ball carriers, ensuring that their opponents tacklers and ball hunters were bulldozed out of the way.

Fijian Drua drops to 7th place

The Drua side dropped from fifth place after the close 24-27 loss to Reds yesterday.

They now have nine points from four matches, recording two wins and two losses.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs and the Brumbies maintain their unbeaten run.

Chiefs is at the top with 19 points, the Brumbies second with 17 and the Hurricanes with 14.

With 11 points is the Blues in fourth place while the Crusaders and Reds share 10 points each.

The Drua will face the Highlanders in their next game on Saturday at 3.35pm (Fiji Time) in Dunedin, New Zealand.

     

Reds hold off late Drua comeback

The Reds winger earned a crucial penalty for the host to hold on to a 27-24 win over the Drua.

The Drua could have bagged a five pointer just five minutes into the match but Elia Canakaivata lost the ball just meters short of the tryline.

However, they still had the advantage and Frank Lomani nailed the penalty for a 3-0 lead.

Playing inside Fiji’s 22, James O’Connor puts the ball up high with which Suliasi Vunivalu won the aerial battle and kept the ball alive before being taken into touch.

Fijian Drua slashes ticket prices for fans

FBC Sports reports Drua chief executive Mark Evans said the historic win last weekend in Lautoka should encourage even more fans to come out and support the team.

“It locks the market when you do that you say yes it’s out it’s all sold out and that encourages people to buy more. Not so much in Fiji people didn’t get past sold out. I don’t think they read the rest of the sentence and we genuinely get loads of people saying oh no no it’s sold out, no it’s not, just that little stand over there, so we’re not gonna do that anymore.”

We can't blame the weather: Crusaders Sevu Reece

The All Blacks rep said the Drua deserved the win and he expects to see more from the Fijian club.

 “It’s unfair to blame the weather, the Drua showed up to play and they played their hearts out,” Reece said after the game.

 “It’s great to see a team like the Drua in the competition, freshens the game and definitely look forward to seeing more.”

 Reece added playing in front of his countrymen and a jam-packed crowd never disappointed, and he was thankful to the supporters for supporting the game.

Valetini takes back seat to brother's special Fiji win

Before his Brumbies claimed a third straight win, brother Kemu had produced a magical sporting moment, slotting a penalty goal after the siren to earn Fijian Drua a huge upset win against the Crusaders in his Super Rugby Pacific debut.

In memorable scenes, the packed crowd in Lautoka was in raptures celebrating their first win in Fiji since entering the competition last year.

For 28-year-old Kemu, it was the culmination of a lengthy journey to earn his debut, but also his chance to start a new chapter in his domestic competition.