Get rid of the label of underdog! One of Super Rugby’s most dangerous teams is expected to be the Fijian Drua.
There are a plethora of viewpoints regarding Super Rugby Pacific when you go online.
Some appreciate it because it’s a throwback to the Super 12’s simpler round-robin style, when all you had to do was look at one table to grasp the competition.
But there is one thing about this new competition that you just cannot dispute: the players have had unmatched success on the field. This newcomer has demonstrated that there is new life that can be brought to the competition through both outcomes and fan involvement, and should they increase this year, it will further heighten interest.
That recent arrival? Say it aloud: the Drua of Fiji!
The Drua’s performance in Super Rugby Pacific and its first iteration in the NRC shown that Fiji was not only prepared to field a Super Rugby team if given the opportunity, but also had the potential to be a very successful team.
The people of Fiji have welcomed the Drua with open arms; visit the island nation and you will find them everywhere. Their players play the kind of exhilarating, free-flowing rugby that dreams are made of, and their simple love for the game shows in them.
Although it took the Drua team a season to get going, their first-ever finals appearance and overall success in 2023 sent a strong message to the other teams.
Furthermore, they used that form to create history with the Fijian national team, defeating England for the first time, upending the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign, winning for the first time for Australia since 1954, and advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals.
Despite the departure of Simon Raiwalui, the Fijian Drua are among the most established teams in the competition going into 2024, especially with Australian manager Mick Byrne returning for his third season. With the wind already in their sails, the Drua are in a wonderful position to continue improving and emerge as the season’s biggest winners.
2024 Synopsis
One of Mick Byrne’s major achievements in 2023, when he reformed the Drua, was realizing Fiji’s greatest assets—its “faith and family” characteristics. Senior players on the team, in conjunction with Byrne and his coaching staff, helped the 2022 team evolve into a cohesive family that developed great relationships with both their families and supporters in addition to one another.
When Fiji defeated the Reds in Round 15 of last year to go to the finals, it was evident how important this was to everyone. Drua captain Meli Derenalagi, speaking after their 41-17 triumph, stated succinctly that they wished to dedicate their accomplishment to Byrne, whose father had died earlier in the week.
Derenalgai remarked, “[We] are not forgetting our coach, coach Mick.” “We dedicated today’s game to him in the hopes that it would warm his heart and bring him some joy.”
It hits on a facet of rugby that the Drua wear with pride: at its foundation, the game is about community and coming together.
Following that motto, the Drua amassed an incredible 2023 home record, dropping just one game versus the Blues. Their victories over the Reds, Hurricanes, and Rebels were noteworthy, but what really made people sit up and take notice was their defeat of the Crusaders.
While opposing teams would concentrate their efforts on the set piece and forward pack to get go-forward, even that evolved in leaps and bounds last year, making them a far more difficult side to put away. Their cohesive team and expansive backline flair kept them in many games.
Byrne and company will enter 2024 with almost the same roster as the previous season, which presents the ideal chance to build on the foundations laid. However, problems still exist for the Drua.
Team & New Members
Following Fiji’s new squad, a number of Drua players have jumped at the chance to play elsewhere; thirteen players have left the ranks to play rugby league in Europe or Australia. Even if Byrne only added three players to the team, all of them are backs, the squad already has a strong base and will feel some losses.
From NPC team Manawatu, Waqa Nalaga and Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula will travel to play support roles in the centres and flyhalf, respectively. Epeli Momo, a new and exciting talent, also joins the back three ranks squad following a term at Pro D2 side Montauban in France.
Although the matter of new forward signings should be taken into consideration (particularly because it has historically been a weak point for the Drua), Byrne will be hoping that the experience he garnered in Super Rugby and overseas in France last year will be sufficient to see the set piece continue to advance.
With 20 players having worn the white jersey, the Drua claim the second-highest number of players with international experience, behind only Moana Pasifika. There is solid reason to assume such improvement. Thirteen of those will be used as forward options.
With the hooker showing to be a dangerous unit in general play, especially when partnered by Meli Derenalagi and Vilive Miramira in the loose forwards, Tevita Ikanivere will be a name to watch.
Ratu Peni Matawalu and seasoned Frank Lomani are probably going to lead the scrum half for the Drua, but wingers Ilaisa Droasese and Selestino Ravutaumada are the team’s more well-known offensive weapons. Fans in Australia should keep a look out for Simione Kuruvoli, whose kick propelled Fiji to their historic Wallaby victory.
Advantages & Drawbacks
Actually, the Drua’s vicious backline is their greatest offensive asset; they excel at open play and counterattacking. The Drua, who rank fourth in the competition for metres gained, are adept at moving forward, challenging defenses, and converting half-chances into scoring opportunities.
Although this has always been one of their advantages, during the past two years, they have advanced their style of play in general play in significant ways because to their enhanced discipline and growing forward pack. With 86% of its scrums won, it also produced the fourth-most successful scrum in the league in 2023.
The Drua had the least effective lineout in the competition, winning only 79.1% of the ball, thus their set piece is still far from ideal. This will need to be corrected when they play strong set piece teams like the Crusaders and Brumbies.
Broken play can turn the Druas into a lethal offensive weapon, but it can also have unintended consequences because other teams have been able to effectively attack their ruck and stop momentum if players get isolated.
The Drua’s defense presents the final major obstacle: in 2024, while having a potent offense, they let up a lot of points and finished the season with a -122 point deficit.
This is particularly true when playing away from home. Like the Western Force, the Drua have been able to win big games at home and have seen improvement in nearly every area of their play when playing in front of their home supporters, but when playing away from home, they struggle mightily and frequently lose games by 20 points or more.
The Drua have only managed one away victory since entering the league in 2022—a 34-36 triumph over Moana Pasifika—so if they are to move up the ladder, their away performance must drastically improve.
If they succeed in it, though, they’ll climb the ladder much faster.
anticipated Finish: Fourth
Yes, it was a strong result, but this is a team that is improving quickly and should not be written off just yet. The Drua ought to shake off their reputation as the underdog and mount a serious contender for the title in 2024. The possibilities are endless for the Fijians if they can carry over their hometown success on the road with a solid, established team and a favorable draw.
How much more thrilling does this Super Rugby Pacific season get if they advance to the semifinals?