A forceful plea from the Tui Ba has injected fresh purpose into the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua as they prepare for their historic Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash against the ACT Brumbies this Saturday. The match — the Drua’s first-ever Super Rugby Pacific fixture to be staged in Ba — will be played at 4R Electrical Govind Park and broadcast live on FBC Sports.
The team visited the chiefly precinct earlier this week to perform a traditional sevusevu, the formal presentation of respect and a request for blessing, and met with the Tui Ba. Hooker Mesulame Dolokoto said the message from the traditional leader was simple and direct: protect the land and the pride of Ba when the players step onto the field. “When we did our sevusevu to the Tui Ba, he told us to defend this land and not give the win away on Saturday,” Dolokoto said.
Dolokoto, a powerful presence in the Drua forward pack, stressed that the squad had taken the exhortation seriously as they finalise preparations. “First time to play in Ba, we will not give the game away easily,” he said, adding that the coach’s plans and the Tui Ba’s words will be carried into the final days before kickoff. “That piece of advice we will take with us in these few days before the game. We will give it our all.”
The match in Ba marks a cultural and sporting milestone for the Drua franchise, bringing Super Rugby Pacific competition to one of Fiji’s most storied towns. The decision to stage the fixture at 4R Electrical Govind Park reflects growing efforts to rotate high-profile matches around the country, allowing provincial communities to host top-tier rugby and experience the competition firsthand. Local supporters will see the national franchise take on one of Australia’s traditional Super Rugby sides on home turf for the first time.
This visit to Ba follows a period of consolidation and coaching reinforcement for the Drua, who strengthened their staff ahead of recent seasons. Those longer-term investments in the squad’s structures now meet a deeply symbolic local appeal — the Tui Ba’s charge to ‘defend this land’ — which players say adds motivational weight beyond typical match-day preparation.
The Brumbies arrive knowing they face a team galvanised by community expectation as much as by tactical preparation. For the Drua, the encounter is an opportunity to translate local pride into performance and secure a memorable result for Ba’s supporters. Fans unable to attend can follow the action live on FBC Sports.
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