New Plan For Country
Coach Senirusi Seruvakula urges Drua players to play as a team as they prepare for this Saturday’s biggest test against the defending NRC champions
Fiji Airways Fijian Drua head coach Senirusi Seruvakula is not carried away with the two big wins in the Australian National Rugby Championship.
After an impressive 66-5 win over Brisbane City, the no-nonsense coach said it’s now all behind them.
This week, the Fijian Drua side travel for their first away game against defending NRC champions Queensland Country at the BB Print Stadium in South McKay, Queensland.
“There’s a lot of learning from this competition and there’s a lot we learn from every game we play,” Seruvakula told SUNsports.
“There will be a lot of mistakes at this level and at the same time gaining a lot of experience and playing against Super Rugby players.
“It’s good for these boys who are playing in the Skipper Cup and the Farebrother.” Seruvakula has started to map out a strategy which is be deployed in this Saturday’s clash especially in the tight five areas.
Queensland Country have named Wallabies 86 Test prop James Slipper in their NRC squad to prepare for the Drua.
Seruvakula said this is a crucial area especially in winning set piece plays.
“We know that the scrum for the Brisbane City game is all about experience so that’s why Joeli Veitayaki, Mosese Ducivaki and Ratunaisa Navuma had their run in the first half. “And when the game started to open up then we put the young ones.
“That was a game pattern for last week before we get into the bus and start something new again.
“We need to have a good start and then we open up the game, “Everything they did in the first half was according to our game pattern and when we had the momentum then we kept building it up not giving any opportunity to the opposition.”
NO INDIVIDUAL PLAY
Seruvakula also urged the players to work as a team throughout the 80 minutes. He was disappointed with a number of backline players who got carried away and played to the crowd. “They have been consistent but still needs to do a lot of work, sometimes they just got carried away and think they can do anything.
“Every player needs to remember that there are other 14 guys in the field with him and that he has to work within the system of our game pattern so that is something very important.
“They’ve got talent and can run from any angle but they needs to be smart and read the game and play his number when he’s playing in the field.” However, Seruvakula was impressed with 34-year-old fullback Apisalome Waqatabu. “Waqatabu is the oldest player in the team and he got a massive experience and that’s why he had a run last week and this week again.
“He keeps bringing competition into his position and that’s why it’s hard for anyone to compete with him but he still got a lot of things to work on.” Waqatabu scored a try and kicked eight conversions to score a total of 21 points against City. Meanwhile, centre Poasa Waqanibau is likely to miss the Queensland Country clash after he suffered a knee injury against City in the 34th minute and was replaced by Enele Malele.
Meanwhile, Olympian Masivesi Dakuwaqa scored two tries on his NRC debut for Force as they romped to a 54-28 win over NSW Country Eagles last night while Isi Naisarani’s try was not enough to help Melbourne Rising as they were pipped 29-28 by Country. The third round of NRC competition gets underway this Saturday.