Fijian Drua need quick fixes ahead of Queensland Country match

Let’s wish Voka and the players all the best in their next big assignment against Queensland Country on Saturday.

Big wins by the Fiji Airways Fijian Drua over Melbourne Rising and Brisbane City are water under the bridge, as the late Berenado Vunibobo would notoriously say as a politician.

Their biggest yet test for the 2018 Australian National Rugby Championship (NRC) comes this Saturday when they face defending champions Queensland Country at BB Print Stadium in South Mackay, Queensland.

The Senirusi Seruvakula-coached side was beaten by Queensland Country twice in last year’s competition.

In their first clash on October 21, 2017, they went down 24-17 at Churchill Park, Lautoka. In their NRC semi-final meet the Fijians were walloped 57-21. By the time they met in the NRC semis the Fijian Drua had lost eight players who left with the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians for the Europe tour.

This year the Queensland Country side lost Fijianborn Wallabies winger Eto Nabuli to French club Bordeaux. However, they still have the services of Reds wing Filipo Daugunu, tough Wallabies prop James Slipper who is making a comeback, Tom Lucas, strong running inside centre

Duncan Paia’aua along with current Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou and lock Izack

Rodda.

In all the Queensland Country side feature 11-capped

Queensland Reds players, four Wallabies and a former Australian Sevens star.

The onus is now on our Fijian Drua squad to work harder and play a lot smarter in their next challenge.

Despite the massive scoreline against City last Saturday, there were a few areas of play that they needed to work on for the Country game.

It’s things like taking wrong options when breaking through the opposition defence, support play not quick enough when needed, dropped balls especially when close to the tryline and perfecting lineout throws.

So far, our Drua side are slowly getting there and with two wins in the bag the next challenge now is to claim Country’s scalp in the NRC competition. This is not an impossible task and it can be done if only the Mosese Voka-captained side execute their moves perfectly.

So let’s wish Voka and the players all the best in their next big assignment against Queensland Country on Saturday. We urge Fijians living in Queensland to be at the BB Print Stadium in big numbers to cheer on our men. And help them avoid big losses like Mr Vunibobo was trying to dismiss with his infamous “water under the bridge” remark on the National Bank of Fiji.

Despite the massive scoreline against City last Saturday, there were a few areas of play that they needed to work on for the Country game. We are very happy about this news since 1973 where we had started this. So many Governments came and gone but nothing happened. Mukesh Chand Cuvu Informal Settlement president