The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will be without Epeli Momo and Kavaia Tagivetaua for their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific match against the ACT Brumbies this Saturday at 4R Stadium, Govind Park in Ba, head coach Glen Jackson confirmed on Thursday. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30pm.
Jackson said Momo suffered a hamstring issue during the Drua’s round-three fixture and has not fully recovered in time for the Brumbies encounter. “Epeli Momo went off with a bit of a hamstring injury and he hasn’t quite recovered from that,” Jackson said. He added that Tagivetaua will also be unavailable after sustaining an ankle injury. “Kavaia Tagivetaua unfortunately has done a bit of an ankle injury, so he’s out as well.”
The latest absences add to a short injury list the Drua have managed through the early season. Earlier coverage of the campaign revealed co-captain Temo Mayanavanua was sidelined with a knee problem and could miss several weeks, leaving Jackson and his staff to navigate multiple gaps in leadership and depth. Jackson said, however, that beyond the two fresh injuries the squad has largely recovered well from recent exertions and the selection process has been competitive as the coaching team finalises its matchday side.
“We’ve mostly stuck with the squad that played against the Hurricanes, with the injured players being the only changes,” Jackson said, underlining that the bulk of the group remain available. That continuity will be important as the Drua prepare to host a Brumbies outfit expected to pose a stern test and as the club stages one of its high-profile home fixtures in Ba — an event Jackson described as historic for the team and local supporters.
Jackson declined to name immediate replacements in his update but said the availability of the broader squad had made selection “reasonably hard.” The final 23 will be confirmed in the build-up to Saturday’s kick-off. The Drua will be hoping the remainder of the squad stays injury-free in the lead-up to what is expected to be a packed crowd at Govind Park.
The match represents a key early-season encounter for the Drua as they seek to build momentum in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition. With two players sidelined and others recently returning to fitness, Jackson’s focus is on steadying the team and extracting the best from the available cohort on home soil this weekend.
Leave a comment