Reece anticipates exciting Drua clash
DEFENDING Super Rugby Pacific champion Crusaders arrived into the country on Wednesday night.
The star-studded Christchurchbased side also brought home two of our own Fijian boys in Sevu Reece and George Bower.
Reece, who scored 10 tries in the Super Rugby Pacific 2022 season, represented Queen Victoria School in both rugby and athletics during his school days.
He will start on the wing against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua tomorrow when the two sides meet in round three of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific at Churchill
Park in Lautoka.
“It is good to be in Fiji and the match this Saturday against the Drua will be very exciting,” the 26-year-old said.
“The Drua played a very tough and physical match against the Moana Pasifika and the Waratahs.”
Fellow Fijian and Crusaders prop Bower, who has 52 appearances for the champion side since he debuted in the 2020 season, said he was excited to be back home.
“I am sure the Fijian Drua fans and the Crusaders fans have been waiting for this match. This match will also be the first home game for the Fijian Drua,” said the 11 test caps All Blacks.
In the 2023 season opener, the Crusaders suffered a shock loss to the Chiefs, going down 10-31. However, they bounced back to beat the Highlanders 52-15.
The Drua outfit won their opening fixture after narrowly beating Moana Pasifika 36-34 but lost their round two clash against the Waratahs 17-46.
During their clash last season, the Crusaders thumped the Drua 61-3 in Christchurch in which Reece scored two tries.
The 11-time Super Rugby champions boast a number of All Blacks star players including Scott Barrett, who plays his 100th Super Rugby match, Jack Goodhue, David Havili and Sam Whitelock.
Kitione Salawa Jr
May 23, 2001 Namotomoto Village, Nadi Papa
Flanker
2019 Nadi Under-20 2020-2021 Fijian 7s
2020-2021 Part of the Fijian 7s extended squad for the Olympic Games
He can cook and bake pretty much anything. In his hometown of Nadi, there’s a river with a bridge that you have drive over to get into town. It would
Kitione Taliga April 21, 1993 Dratabu, Nadi Dawai Fly-half, fullback
2015-2016: World Rugby Sevens Series – 60 matches, 224 points scored, 32 tries
2017: Stade Français 2020-2021: Travelling reserve with Fijian 7s team to the Olympic Games in Japan
2014-2015: World Rugby Sevens Series Winner 2015-2016: World Rugby Sevens Series Winner
Selestino Ravutaumada January 17, 2000 Naselesele Village, Taveuni, Maternal links to Welagi (Taveuni)
Stino and Selebucho Outside back
2014–2015 Marist Brothers High School (Fiji) 2016–2018 Rotorua Boys High First XV
2017–2018 Chiefs U18 2016–2017 NZ Fijian School 7s team
2017–2018 NZ Schools Rugby League
2019 – Junior Kiwis Rugby League team
2020 – New Zealand Warriors 2021 – Hamilton Old Boys be a common sight to see ‘Papa’ along with his friends from the village jumping into the river from the bridge. 2016: Rio Olympic Games Gold Medallist
Interestingly, he has been both a Corrections officer and a Police officer. 2019 Played for the Junior Kiwis against Junior Kangaroos
He’s the ‘Man with the Dancing Feet’ in both rugby and dance, and has over 55,000 followers on TikTok because of it.