Drua faces in-form Blues outfit!
I SALUTE Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne in selecting an explosive team to face the mighty Auckland Blues and stars like Kurt Eklund, Angus Ta’avao, Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Stephen Perofeta, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele’a, Zarn Sullivan and AJ Lam who boast experience, speed, and power.
The Drua has a mammoth task ahead as the boys prepare to get our Super Rugby Pacific campaign on a high note. The Drua versus Blues clash is a tasty old affair. The Blues advanced to the semi-finals last season where they were hammered 52-15 by a red-hot Crusaders outfit while the Drua exited a stage earlier as they were trounced by the eventual champs 49-8.
The Blues, who have lost a couple of key players during the off-season, have a vastly experienced outfit and have taken their first home game of the season north to Whangarei. The hosts are expected to run up a score on the Drua which will make this game an entertaining fixture, with the ability to hurt the Blues from broken play, although the Blues have too much power at set-piece and through the forwards in general.
The build-up has been great, and so is the support for the boys. The off-season training program has mentally, spiritually, and physically psyched up our boys, and they are ready to deliver another blockbuster. Teamwork, playing to the game plan and executing the basics will set the platform for a wonderful start against the Blues which are hungry to win the crown.
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Where are they?
Where is Sean Marcus Algar and Jenerio Wakeham? In 2018, they were in the Fiji Under 16 rugby training squad. It’s 2024, they will be in their mid 20s by now. Standing at 1.97m and 2.03m respectively, if they are still committed, or on scholarship to further their education and rugby they will be a force to reckon with in a few years time.
If they had gone their own ways, I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
Toso Drua! Soko tiko na waqa ni Viti!
VILI YARANAMUA
Ba
Wait is over
One reads with interest the article entitled “Wait is over” (23/02/24) as the Fijian Drua and the Auckland Blues will now clash in a Super Rugby match.
While some fans will focus on this match, other fans have a bigger question in mind.
The 2023 World Cup journey unfortunately saw several of our Drua players sitting from the bench and watching only. Let’s just hope that the wait is over sooner so that more of our Drua players make it into the Flying Fijians squad and play in the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Meanwhile, I hope the wait for the announcement of our new Flying Fijians Coach is over sooner and fingers crossed for Franck Boivert. Fans cannot wait for a coach who is permanently based in Fiji. FLOYD ROBINSON Micronesia