Highlanders pencilled in for Fiji trip to face Drua
The Highlanders are in line to be the first team to face the Fijian Drua in Fiji, although the away trip to Super Rugby Pacific newcomers will ultimately be decided by Covid-19.
The Fijian Drua originally planned to host their first game in Fiji against the Waratahs in round 7 on April 1, but shelved those plans after the Fiji government introduced a ban on spectators at sporting events in response to the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
‘‘We would have loved to bring a match to Fiji earlier, but totally respect and support the decision of Fijian authorities,’’ Drua chief executive Brian Thorburn said.
‘‘Public health considerations are paramount and the Drua’s thoughts and prayers are with our fellow Fijians as they battle this Omicron wave.
‘‘We now aim to play the
Highlanders in Suva on April 30 but will have to change plans again if the ‘no-spectator’ rule remains in place.
‘‘We’ll need a full stadium to be able to host a financially viable match in Fiji and will be guided by the authorities in these considerations.’’
The Highlanders are strangers to playing in Fiji.
They took a home game against the Chiefs to ANZ Stadium in Suva in 2018, although they turned in a poor performance on the way to a 45-22 hammering.
The Highlanders have a strong contingent of Fijian players on their books: wings Jona Nareki, Mosese Dawai, Vereniki Tikoisolomone and utility back Vilimoni Koroi.
Nareki is sidelined with an ACL injury, but the remaining trio offer X-factor and would be a solid chance of making the touring squad to face the Drua in Suva.
The chances of the game going ahead also depend on the New Zealand government’s border policies*
no in late April.
Unless current settings at the New Zealand border change, the Highlanders may not be able to return to Aotearoa and prepare for their next game against the Reds in Brisbane in round 13 on May 6.
In theory, they could travel directly from Fiji to Australia, but they would still need to return home after the Reds game to host the Force in Dunedin on May 13.
The Drua also confirmed that their first game in Super Rugby will take place against the Waratahs at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, Sydney, on February 18.
The Drua will be based in Australia for their first Super Rugby campaign, and they are hoping to garner good support from the Fijian population across the Tasman.