Temo Mayanavanua has been cleared to return from a knee injury and will captain the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua when they travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies in round 10 of the 2026 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific tomorrow night.
Head coach Glen Jackson described Mayanavanua’s comeback as a timely boost for the Drua, saying the co‑captain’s “dedication and effort to this club is unbelievable and he’s probably back a week earlier than what we were hoping so it’s great to have them out there.” Mayanavanua had been sidelined after sustaining a knee injury in the earlier rounds of the season, with fellow forwards Isoa Nasilasila and Tuidraki Samusamuvodre stepping up as vice‑captains while playmaker Frank Lomani remains on the injury list.
Jackson also highlighted another milestone in the pack: Samuela Tawake will make his 50th Super Rugby Pacific appearance for the Drua. “Looking forward to supporting Samu in his 50th game,” Jackson said, jokingly referring to Tawake as a “grumpy old man” as he welcomed the experienced prop’s service. The pair’s presence strengthens a starting pack that Jackson has named to challenge a Brumbies side the Drua last met in round five at Four R Stadium, Govind Park in Ba, where Fiji’s team won 42‑27.
Lomani, who was injured in the match against the Blues last month and has missed subsequent fixtures, is expected to return before the season concludes, Jackson confirmed. The coach did not provide a precise timeline but signalled confidence that the playmaker will rejoin the squad later in the campaign, easing concerns over leadership and playmaking depth.
The Drua named the following match‑day 23 for GIO Stadium: Starters — 1 Emosi Tuqiri, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 3 Samuela Tawake, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 5 Temo Mayanavanua (c), 6 Etonia Waqa, 7 Kitione Salawa, 8 Isoa Tuwai, 9 Issak Fines‑Leleiwasa, 10 Isaiah Armstrong‑Ravula, 11 Manasa Mataele, 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 14 Isikeli Basiyalo, 15 Isikeli Rabitu. Impact bench — 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Penaia Cakobau, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Joseva Tamani, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Inia Tabuavou.
The match kicks off at 9.30pm at GIO Stadium in Canberra, with the Drua looking to reinforce the momentum from their earlier-season win over the Brumbies in Ba. Mayanavanua’s return to the starting XV and Tawake’s milestone arrive as the latest development in the Drua’s season — providing an immediate injection of experience and leadership as they press through the midseason run of fixtures.
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