Swire Shipping Fijian Drua captain Frank Lomani has paid public tribute to Ben Volavola ahead of today’s Round 6 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Queensland Reds at Churchill Park in Lautoka, calling the visiting playmaker a major influence on his own rugby education.
Lomani said lining up against Volavola, who is in line for a potential Reds debut, will be a “special moment”. “I want to wish Ben good luck and congratulations on his potential debut,” he said. “I’ve played with him for years and he’s someone who has helped me a lot. Some of the rugby knowledge I have today was contributed by Ben, so I’m really looking forward to seeing him play.”
The encounter in Lautoka will throw up several familiar faces for Lomani: he will also come up against fellow Fijians Filipo Daugunu and Seru Uru. The Drua captain said those match-ups add an extra edge to the fixture but stressed respect and caution. “It’s always good to go against fellow Fijian brothers, especially Ben and Uru. I’ve played with them and they are really good players. We will never underestimate them. The performances they’ve shown in the last few weeks prove they are playing really well.”
Lomani warned his side cannot afford to rest on recent laurels after last week’s win over the Brumbies. “We’ve spoken about moving on this week. We cannot dwell on last week’s win against the Brumbies — we have the Reds now,” he said, underlining the need for focus as the Drua prepare for a team that has shown late-game resilience.
The Reds have claimed their last two victories in the dying minutes, a trend Lomani singled out as evidence of the opposition’s mettle. He also highlighted Queensland’s attacking instincts as a tactical challenge: “They’re a good young team. They love to throw the ball around and they kick a lot. For us, it’s about covering those areas and making sure we shut them down so we can play our game and produce good rugby.”
Lomani’s comments frame the match as more than a home fixture: it is a meeting between a captain and a former teammate-turned-mentor, a test of the Drua’s ability to control a high-tempo, expansive opponent, and an early-season barometer for both sides. With the Reds arriving in Lautoka on the back of nervy late wins, and the Drua keen to build momentum, the contest promises to be competitive and emotionally charged for the Fijian contingent on both teams.
Leave a comment