Manasa Mataele will face his former club for the first time when the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua take on the Western Force in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific round nine clash at Churchill Park in Lautoka today, coming off the bench in what the utility back described as an “emotional encounter.”
Mataele, who spent the 2022–2024 seasons with the Force, is named to wear the number 23 jersey and expects the reunion with ex-teammates to be a special moment amid the competitive demands of the fixture. “Yes, definitely. There are a few boys there that I’ve played with for the last two years, and I’m looking forward to rubbing shoulders with them again,” he said, emphasising the personal ties that remain despite the switch of allegiances.
The 26-year-old ex-Force winger — now a key back for the Drua — singled out younger players in the opposition whom he helped mentor during his time in Perth. “Most of them have left, but there are still a few young boys I had a good connection with when I was there. I was one of the older players who looked after the younger ones, so I’m looking forward to seeing them again, even though we’re on opposite sides now,” Mataele explained, framing the match as both a professional test and a chance to reconnect.
While acknowledging the emotional angle, Mataele made clear his mindset remains match-focused. He told reporters he expects the Force to look markedly different to the side he left, pointing to changes in coaching personnel and the player turnover he has observed since departing. “I think it’s very much different now. With the coach I had there, it’s changed. Every year they seem to have a big turnover of players from what I understand,” he said, adding that the Force’s new staff and recruits will likely produce “something new” tactically.
The timing of the encounter makes the reunion noteworthy for both teams. With valuable Super Rugby Pacific points on the line, the Drua will lean on their depth and Lautoka home advantage. Mataele’s introduction off the bench could be decisive — his physicality and experience in both Australian and Pacific competitions offer the Drua an injection of pace and power late in the contest. The match also represents another chapter in the Drua’s efforts to defend Churchill Park and reward the vocal local support that has followed the team this season.
Today’s fixture is the latest development in a season that has seen significant player movement across the competition and ongoing adjustments for clubs as they integrate new coaches and youth talent. For Mataele personally, the match offers a chance to measure his growth since returning to Fiji and to test how his time with the Force has influenced his game against the side that helped shape his recent years.
As the teams prepare to run onto the Lautoka turf, Mataele’s reunion with former teammates — equal parts nostalgia and rivalry — adds a human subplot to what promises to be a high-stakes Super Rugby Pacific contest.
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