The Queensland Reds will face fresh pressure to end a long-standing winless run on Fijian soil when they travel to take on the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua this Saturday, with the hosts entering the clash buoyed by growing squad depth and intense home support. In the latest development ahead of the fixture, Drua head coach Glen Jackson highlighted the club’s improving resources and confidence while also revealing a handful of injury concerns the medical team has been working to manage.
Jackson said the Drua have been deliberately building depth across the roster, with younger players pushing for selection and raising standards through competition in training. “We’ve got some good young guys that want to bring impact,” he said, adding that increased internal competition has made the squad more resilient. “I’m liking the fact that these guys now, if you were to pick another team, they’d put their hand up.”
The coach pointed to the club’s steady improvement as evidence players now possess the confidence to compete at a higher level, particularly at home where passionate Fijian crowds have turned matches into a significant advantage for the Drua. Jackson acknowledged the next test is to reproduce those levels away from Fiji, but for now the immediate task is to keep up the home-form momentum and extend the Reds’ struggles on Fijian soil.
In a notable update on player availability, Jackson confirmed that Epeli Momo and Joe Tamani are out with hamstring injuries, while Kavaia Tagivetaua is nursing an ankle issue and Temo Mayanavanua remains sidelined with a knee injury. Jackson framed the list as manageable given the demands of the competition, praising the club’s medical staff for limiting the size of the injury ward. “So pretty good, really, considering how hard this competition is. Our injury ward is not massive, so congratulations to the physio department, doing a great job,” he said.
Those absences will test the depth Jackson has been cultivating, particularly in the forward pack and on the wings where the sidelined players have provided impact this season. How the Drua adjust their matchday selections will be closely watched, especially as the Reds attempt to exploit any openings created by the injuries.
For the Reds, the fixture represents a key barometer of their ability to win in difficult environments. While the Drua’s home advantage has been well-documented this season, Jackson’s public focus on internal competition and youth impact suggests the hosts will field a battle-hardened side even without several regulars. The outcome on Saturday will be a clear indicator of whether the Reds can finally overturn their Fijian hoodoo or if the Drua will continue to feed off home support and the increasingly competitive culture Jackson says is driving the squad forward.
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