Derenalagi Optimistic About New Season
The drive is on to put together a formidable Swire Shipping Fijian Drua team for the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific which kicks off February.
In their debut last year, they managed to rattle some big and regulars of the toughest rugby competition in the southern hemisphere.
The Fijian outfit finished 11th
last year. The 12 teams in the competition include Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Melbourne Storm, Moana Pasifika, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Western Force and Drua.
The Fijian Drua has settled in its home base at Waimalika, Nadi, training has rolled with the side hosting six games in the coming season – three at Lautoka’s Churchill Park and another three at the HFC Bank stadium in Suva. Speaking to SUNSports captain Meli Derenalagi said Drua has learned a lot last season.
“There were a lot of learnings from last season.
“It’s time we perfect those things and put them into practice,” Derenalagi said.
“Now that we have a home base in Nadi, the onus is on us to lift our standard of play and improve our standing,” he said. “Our base has up to standard sports facilities and coaches to assist us.
“We must improve definitely in the coming season and we can have the results we want.” He added that his team mates now know and understand Super Rugby and the expectations.
“In the last season we found out a lot of things about Super Rugby, we are now preparing well for the pace and intensity of the game.” The 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season will expect all teams to lift their performance to another level. Teams will have to adapt to the series of new law applications which will be implemented from January 1, 2023 aimed at speeding up the game.
This should not be difficult for the Drua after they showed a glimpse of their pace when they mixed flair and structure play towards the end of the season.
“Arguably our pace is second to none there is no doubt coach Mick Bryant and his coaching staff will be working on consistency,” he said.
“Consistent structure play, ball retention, structure play mixed with flair and pace set the platform for good performance; with defense key to all mechanisms . “When we control that area of the game the pace and the law of the game will take care of themselves.”