The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will lean on the inside knowledge of new recruit Issak Fines‑Leleiwasa as they finalise preparations to host the Western Force at Churchill Park in Lautoka tomorrow, head coach Glen Jackson said. The match kicks off at 4.30pm and Jackson singled out Leleiwasa’s former stint with the Australian side as a valuable asset for the Drua’s game plan.
“He’s been great since he’s been with us,” Jackson told Times Sports. “He’s been awesome around the knowledge of Australian (Super Rugby) teams but obviously, when he plays for a club for as long as he did, his knowledge is going to be great around playing against them.” Jackson made clear that Leleiwasa’s familiarity with the Force — from players to patterns of play — will be factored into the Drua’s preparations for the visiting side.
Leleiwasa arrived at the Drua this season, filling the vacancy left by former Drua playmaker Caleb Muntz. His presence has been intended both to cover that key position and to help steady a relatively young backline as the Drua navigate the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific schedule. The incoming report notes Leleiwasa “featured for the Force over an extended period,” underscoring why the coaching staff views his insights as timely ahead of a direct meeting.
Tomorrow’s fixture comes on the back of a confidence-boosting win for the Drua in Lautoka; they edged the Hurricanes 25-20 in a dramatic encounter earlier this month. That result gave the side momentum and a platform Jackson will hope to build on when setting his tactical approach against a team Leleiwasa knows well. The coach’s comments suggest internal discussions and match planning have drawn directly on the imported player’s experience of the Force’s structures and tendencies.
The match is another chapter in the Drua’s early-season campaign under Jackson and his coaching team, who have been reshaping the squad since last year’s off‑season additions. Leleiwasa’s recruitment was one of several moves designed to strengthen the backline and add experienced voices to the locker room, alongside broader coaching changes made as the club prepared for the Super Rugby Pacific competition.
For supporters, the Lautoka fixture presents a timely opportunity to assess how quickly Leleiwasa’s knowledge translates into on-field advantage, particularly in key moments where familiarity with opponent set plays and defensive patterns can be decisive. Jackson’s public acknowledgement of Leleiwasa’s role makes it clear the Drua expect his contribution to extend beyond his work as a player to a tactical resource in the lead-up to tomorrow’s game.
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