The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua team is gearing up for the 2025 Super Rugby season with seven home matches on the schedule, and the team recognizes the importance of establishing a winning streak from their first home game. This strategy is aimed at improving their chances of securing victories during away games as well.
Mark Evans, the chief executive officer of the Drua, highlighted this necessity in a recent interview. He pointed out the significant difference between the team’s home performance and their away performance, which is a common trend for younger teams that generally find success at home first.
Evans noted that many players from the Drua have gone on to play for the Flying Fijians, where they have consistently achieved victories in away matches. He believes that with these players on the field, it is only a matter of time before the Drua’s away performance improves similarly.
He stated, “They’re the same players, largely, so I think it’s probably only a matter of time. I don’t think it’s a big psychological block or anything. Otherwise, it would apply when they play for the national team as well.” He added that the inconsistency seen in away matches will likely diminish with continued experience.
In the previous 2024 season, the Drua recorded eight losses in away games and two losses at home, marking an area for improvement as they move into the upcoming season.