As the 2026 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season gets underway, an exhilarating clash is set to electrify Churchill Park in Lautoka at 4pm today. The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua, Fiji’s premier professional rugby team, will face the Skipper Select XV, a formidable team composed of top players from domestic provincial competitions.
This matchup carries significant weight beyond mere pre-season warm-up; it represents a pivotal moment that could shape the future of Fijian rugby. For the Drua, this game is not just an opportunity to refine their squad, but a chance to assert their dominance as the leading local rugby franchise and demonstrate their superiority over the Skipper Cup and other domestic leagues.
The Drua lineup, filled with athletes who have battled at the highest echelons from Super Rugby to international competitions, is keen to showcase their prowess and readiness for the challenging Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season ahead.
On the other hand, the Skipper Select XV is a new and promising team formed from Fiji’s grassroots rugby talent, eager to challenge one of the Pacific’s elite rugby franchises. Under the leadership of head coach Rupeni Nasiga, this squad exemplifies the Fiji Rugby Union’s commitment to nurturing local talent and providing pathways into professional rugby.
The mood is buoyant within the Skipper Select camp, where local players are sharply focused and training fervently, excited to seize this significant chance to prove themselves on a larger stage. Their participation in an upcoming four-nations invitational tournament in South Africa later this year adds further significance to this match as they aim to demonstrate their competitive edge against top-tier opposition.
Fijian Drua co-captain Temo Mayanavanua expressed the importance of this opportunity for the Skipper Select players, acknowledging their talent and ambition. “There will be boys in the Skipper Select who are really talented and hungry to be in this set-up. Who knows? God might bless them with an opportunity,” he remarked, emphasizing the value of such prospects.
Mayanavanua, who understands the journey from grassroots to professionalism having risen through the Skipper Cup ranks himself, underlined the importance of providing local players the chance to shine. “We know how it feels to be on the outside and looking in,” he added.
The Drua squad is equally enthusiastic about the encounter. “The boys are really geared up and hyped for this game,” said Mayanavanua, who encouraged fans to come out in droves to support both teams. “It’s going to be an exciting game full of Fijian flair, big hits, and it’s going to be an epic one.”
This clash is more than just a match; it embodies the meeting of two rugby legacies—one established and professional, the other striving and eager. It showcases the evolution of Fiji’s rugby system, bridging grassroots talent with opportunities at the professional level. Fans can anticipate a riveting contest that will not only set the tone for the upcoming season but also illuminate the promising future of Fijian rugby.
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