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Fijian Drua lay out the law on future recruitment policy

(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Fijian Drua CEO Mark Evans has revealed the Super Rugby Pacific franchise has already filled its squad for next season’s campaign and have turned away interest from overseas based Fijian players.

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While Epeli Momo is returning after a three-year stint with Pro D2 club Montauban, other players operating in foreign competitions will have to wait another year for the chance to join the Drua squad.

Evans confirmed the franchise was hoping to bring more Fijian players back from Japan and Europe, however, the 37 man squad was already completed with six players from the development squad moving up to senior level. The Drua have made a successful impact on and off the pitch and Evans, the former Harlequins and Saracens director of rugby, told local media: “We are pretty much done with our recruitment for next year.

“We want to improve the players we have and pick up those players who we feel have growth. There is a lot of value when players get used to each other — having the continuity and patterns of play. We are always looking for Fijian qualified players, whether in Super Rugby Pacific or other competitions in Europe or Japan.

“We will try to bring few back from France and we are starting to have conversations where players are calling from Europe wanting to come play for the Drua. We have told them that we have no spots left, because we are filled for next year and maybe they should communicate for the 2025 season.

“We know the types of players we are after, and we are also aware that we have to develop our own plus also keep looking for value. The easiest way to improve the squad is to get better players or make the one’s you got, better.

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“Six guys who were in development this year are going to be in the main 37-member squad for next year. I think we are a better team than we were last year and if we keep on doing this every year, then we will turn into a pretty powerful organization.

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“The response from the business community in Fiji to the Drua has been just fantastic. Everybody said this could not work in Fiji and there wasn’t a big enough economy, not enough people.

“Of course, we needed some assistance in the early years, because start-ups are hard but commercially, we have been pretty good. We still have a long way to go but we are getting better, and the franchise just needs to be consistently doing what we have been right across the board.”

The Drua need a home win against the Queensland Reds in Suva on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of a historic finals appearance.

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Comments

4 Comments
J
John 515 days ago

Drua adds more fire to the already super tough competition with just their second season they had developed to be the most feared team in future...toso drua

p
pita 518 days ago

Thank you drua for a blend of rugby only in 🇫🇯 all the best against the Crusaders last time the odds was 1% and we overcame with God all things are possible wish the team all the best will be watching from Surrey B.C Canada.

L
Lloydy 519 days ago

The Drua have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch this year. Onwards and upwards!

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AM 9 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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