The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will face their first away challenge of the season this Saturday as they travel to Napier, New Zealand, to take on the Hurricanes in round two of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific. The Drua are eager to shift their recent narrative on road performances, which have been underwhelming in previous seasons. Notably, the new Super Rugby format limits the playoff spots to just six teams, and after finishing outside of this top tier for two consecutive years, the stakes are high.
Head coach Glen Jackson emphasized the need for the team to improve their breakdown management—a crucial area against the Hurricanes, who possess strong loose forwards and an aggressive style of play, similar to that of the Brumbies they recently faced. “The focus is to ensure this team has belief growing with them. We are determined to secure an away win,” Jackson stated, highlighting the team’s emphasis on confidence and tenacity.
After a weekend break, the Drua returned to training, preparing for the match set to kick off at McLean Park at 3:35 PM. Following their narrow 36-32 defeat to the ACT Brumbies in their season opener, players like number eight Elia Canakaivata expressed hope for improvement, citing handling errors and discipline issues that need attention.
As both the Drua and the Hurricanes look to redeem themselves after opening losses, this clash becomes a pivotal point for their respective campaigns. The presence of debutants and the team’s growing resilience hint at a season filled with potential, which will keep fans optimistic in anticipation of a thrilling match this weekend.
In summary, the Drua hope to transform their away-game history with a strong performance against the Hurricanes, leveraging lessons learned from previous encounters while demonstrating the team’s evolving spirit and skill on the field.
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