The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua were undone by missed opportunities as much as by opposition quality in a 40–15 loss to the Blues in last night’s Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash, head coach Glen Jackson said on Monday. The result leaves the Drua reeling after a promising opening period that fizzled in the second half, and the team now heads to Christchurch to face the Crusaders next weekend with questions to answer.
Jackson said the Drua began the contest strongly but “allowed the game to slip away after the break,” pointing to a string of unchecked chances and errors that the Blues punished. “We weren’t able to do what we wanted,” he said, singling out the Blues’ forward pack as a major challenge — “they’re one of the best in the tournament” — and lamenting his side’s failure to make the most of the platform they had created in the first forty minutes.
Beyond the technical frustrations, Jackson also voiced cultural disappointment. The Drua were unable to perform their traditional I-Bole war dance before the match, something the players value as part of their preparation and identity. Jackson said the squad had performed the I-Bole at home in Fiji and on previous tours, and the missed ritual added to the sense of an unfinished night for the team.
Despite the scoreline, Jackson emphasised that the players’ effort was not in question and that the team remains focused on improving week to week. The loss to the Blues follows earlier defeats in the fledgling Super Rugby Pacific campaign — a 40–26 reverse to Moana Pasifika in Lautoka and a 36–13 loss to the Waratahs in Sydney — marking a difficult start to the season and putting added urgency on the next fixture.
The upcoming trip to Christchurch pits the Drua against another tough New Zealand opponent in the Crusaders, who host the match this weekend. Jackson stressed the need to convert opportunities and shore up the areas that unraveled after half-time if the Drua are to halt their slide and secure their first win of the campaign.
Jackson’s assessment underlines the immediate priorities for the squad: turn early momentum into scoreboard returns, improve second-half consistency, and maintain the cultural practices that help bind the team. With little time to dwell, the Drua will regroup on the long run south and attempt to sharpen their execution before facing the Crusaders.
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