SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson has reshuffled his match-day squad ahead of the team's Round 7 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific meeting with the Auckland Blues tomorrow, recalling Epeli Momo from a hamstring layoff and shifting Iosefo Namoce into the midfield while naming former France star Vereimi Vakatawa among the replacements.
Momo returns to take the No.14 wing role after recovering from a hamstring issue, Jackson confirmed, bringing back pace on the flank the Drua have missed. The coach also handed a starting berth at inside centre (No.12) to Namoce, describing the 20-something prospect as “a young man with a big future, big body.” Vakatawa, who adds experience and ball-carrying power, will provide impact off the bench.
Jackson said the selection changes form part of a deliberate tweak to the team's game plan as the Drua seek to "get this campaign back on track." “So, we want to go back to the way we want to play and let’s run the Blues around and have a good crack at them,” he said, adding that the side will retain the same preparation whether home or away. Jackson pointed to encouraging displays against the Brumbies and Hurricanes but urged better execution after what he called “a game of lost opportunities” against the Reds.
Tomorrow’s fixture will carry added meaning, with both sides contesting the Joeli Vidiri Memorial Trophy. Jackson paid tribute to the late Vidiri’s legacy in both Fijian and New Zealand rugby and said the silverware should provide extra incentive. “It’s a massive motivation… I’ll be disappointed if our boys don’t get motivated by such a great man and an opportunity to play for a trophy,” he said.
Logistics have also been adjusted: the Drua will stay in New Zealand after the Blues match to accommodate a six-day turnaround for their next fixture — a departure from the team’s previous routines. “We’ve got a six-day turnaround after the Blues, so we’ll be staying in New Zealand, which is something we haven’t done before as well. So it’s just trying to do things a little bit different around what we do,” Jackson explained.
Jackson acknowledged the challenge posed by the Blues, describing them as well coached and physically imposing, with one-off runners who know how to exploit space. His message to the squad remains simple: move the ball, be competitive at the contests and seize rare opportunities for silverware and momentum as the Super Rugby Pacific season unfolds.
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