Joji Nasova is set to make his debut for the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua this Saturday as they face off against the Hurricanes at Churchill Park. Head coach Glen Jackson expressed excitement about welcoming the talented winger into the match-day squad.
“Joji is going to get his debut. He’s been good around the Fijian boys, so he’ll go on the wing, and we’re excited to see him perform. He’s a quality player and a quality man, and it’s going to be great to get him on the field,” Jackson said.
Despite starting the season with back-to-back losses, the team atmosphere remains upbeat. Jackson noted, “The mood’s fine. It’s a tough competition. Of course, we’d want to have two wins on the board, but we haven’t. It’s only week two, and there are still teams yet to get a win. Getting back home, we’re looking forward to this game.”
Analyzing their previous outing, Jackson pointed to a strong beginning as a positive takeaway. “We had a great first 15 minutes against a quality, well-coached side. We were close, but it’s about experience, leadership, and learning to stay in the game for the full 80 minutes.”
Discipline and execution continue to be areas of focus leading into Saturday’s match. Jackson mentioned, “Discipline has been good; we’re always under 10 penalties per game, which is the magic number. We’ve worked hard on that, and it’s about continuing to execute and keep moving forward.” He also highlighted the physicality displayed by the team.
The scrum is another area under scrutiny after their last contest. “The Waratahs got away with their hit and chase, and fair play to them—they’ve got a smart front row. We’ve talked about making sure we get that right because the Hurricanes have a strong scrum and they’ll come hard,” he stated.
Jackson remains optimistic that the players will respond strongly to feedback after last week’s performance. “We’ve been very good on our own ball for a long time, so that performance was a bit of a surprise. But it’s given the big boys a wake-up call, and we’re expecting a strong response this week.”
The Drua lineup features Haereiti Hetet, Zuriel Togiatama, Mesake Doge, and others, with Joji Nasova looking to make his mark in this key match. The focus on discipline, physical play, and responding to challenges provides a sense of hope and determination as they prepare to compete against the Hurricanes.
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