Latest news with #Fijian-born
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Too weak, Reds lament soft tries in Super loss to Drua
Tate McDermott is challenging his Queensland Reds to man up physically after having their Super Rugby Pacific finals ambitions dented in a thrilling try-fest in Suva. The last-placed Fijian Drua continue to play the competition spoilers, pipping the Reds 36-33 with a last-gasp winner on Saturday. The Reds were a minute away from notching an elusive first win in the Fijian capital, before inspired replacement Isikeli Rabitu surged over with 52 seconds left on the clock. Reds mentor and Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss had billed the match "must win" for his fourth-placed side as they chase a top-three finals berth and all-important home play-off. Little wonder Kiss cut an anxious figure, pacing around the Queensland coaches' box throughout the seesawing encounter. SCENES IN SUVA 🤩#SuperRugbyPacific #DRUvRED — Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 3, 2025 In a bruising and sapping physical affair, forwards scored nine of the 11 tries as the lead changed hands seven times at HFC Bank Stadium. In crossing for six tries to five but missing four conversions, the Drua probably deserved victory. But it only came after a frenetic finish in which Reds co-captain Fraser McReight was yellow-carded, leaving his side a man short for the final 90 seconds. That's all the Drua needed to leave the Reds none from three in Suva and now back in a dogfight for a top-six finals berth, ahead of two pivotal derbies away from home against the seventh-placed Waratahs and third-placed Brumbies. "We need to see the improvements leading into those games away. Probably just physically," McDermott said after his milestone 100th Super game ended in disappointment. "We just let them score too easy, too many times. Against a team like the Drua, you give them that much time and space to do whatever they want with the ball, they're going to make you pay. "So we'll take our lessons. It's not all doom and gloom." The Reds made a nice enough start, fullback Jock Campbell racing away to give his side an early lead after Drua winger Taniela Rakuro had opened the scoring in the fifth minute. But, seeking a breather on the short side, flanker Etonia Waqa caught Tim Ryan napping and brushed off the winger to score the softest of tries for the Drua. Again, like after the Drua's two earlier tries through Rakuro and prop Mesake Doge either side of Campbell's effort, the home team couldn't convert. Filling in for injured Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler, Richie Asiata's fifth try in six games dragged the Reds back to within a point, before Fijian-born flanker Seru Uru strolled over down the left wing to earn the visitors a 19-15 halftime lead. The Drua came out all guns blazing after the break, with lock Mesake Vocevoce and flanker Isoa Tuwai charging over to give the hosts a 29-19 advantage. The Reds hit back through finishing forwards Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Max Craig. But Rabitu had the final say to throw a spanner in the Reds' finals hopes, a fortnight after the Drua also downed the Waratahs in Fiji. "Obviously a disappointing day," McDermott said. "We got the bonus point and we're not happy with that, but it's better than nothing."
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Fijian Drua break Reds hearts in Super Rugby thriller
The last-placed Fijian Drua continue to play Super Rugby Pacific spoilers, upsetting the Queensland Reds 36-33 in a thrilling try-fest in Suva. The Reds were a minute away from notching an elusive first win in the Fijian capital, before inspired replacement Isikeli Rabitu surged over for the winner with 52 seconds left on the clock on Saturday. Reds mentor and Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss had billed the match "must win" for his fourth-placed side as they chase a top-three finals berth and all-important home play-off. Little wonder Kiss cut an anxious figure, pacing around the Queensland coaches' box throughout the seesawing encounter. In a bruising and sapping physical affair, forwards scored nine of the 11 tries as the lead changed hands seven times at HFC Bank Stadium. In crossing for six tries to five but missing four conversions, the Drua probably deserved victory. But it only came after a frenetic finish in which Reds co-captain Fraser McReight was yellow-carded, leaving his side a man short for the final 90 seconds. That's all the Drua needed to leave the Reds none from three in Suva and now back in a dogfight for a top-six finals berth, ahead of two pivotal derbies away from home against the seventh-placed Waratahs and third-placed Brumbies. The Reds made a nice enough start, fullback Jock Campbell racing away to give his side an early lead after Drua winger Taniela Rakuro had opened the scoring in the fifth minute. But, seeking a breather on the short side, flanker Etonia Waqa caught Tim Ryan napping and brushed off the winger to score the softest of tries for the Drua. Again, like after the Drua's two earlier tries through Rakuro and prop Mesake Doge either side of Campbell's effort, the home team couldn't convert. Filling in for injured Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler, Richie Asiata's fifth try in six games dragged the Reds back to within a point, before Fijian-born flanker Seru Uru strolled over down the left wing to earn the visitors a 19-15 halftime lead. The Drua came out all guns blazing after the break, with lock Mesake Vocevoce and flanker Isoa Tuwai charging over to give the hosts a 29-19 advantage. The Reds hit back through finishing forwards Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Max Craig. But Rabitu had the final say to throw a spanner in the Reds' finals hopes, a fortnight after the Drua also downed the Waratahs in Fiji.
Telegraph
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Super Rugby slammed amid Fiji fury at players crammed into lorry before match
Former Fiji international Nemani Nadolo has slammed Super Rugby organisers after logistical foul-ups dogged the Fijian Drua on a recent trip to New Zealand to play the Wellington Hurricanes. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday that the Drua players were forced to jump into a truck hired to transport the team's baggage and equipment after their bus failed to turn up at the airport just before midnight on February 21. The following day, the newspaper reported, the Drua players - but not those of the Hurricanes - were forced to check out of their hotel hours before the kick-off in Napier, which they lost 38-34. 'Bear in mind every Super Rugby side that comes to Fiji will get police escort everywhere they go,' Nadolo, a world-class winger who played 30 times for his country, wrote in a post on X beneath a picture of the Drua players in the baggage truck. 'Yet this is a picture of a Super Rugby side that's sitting at the back of a truck going to their hotel in NZ. 'How is this even happening? Can you imagine if this was an Aussie or a NZ franchise side? Driving in the back of a truck at midnight after showing up to the airport to find out your team bus wasn't there. Please tell me this is a joke?' Bear in mind every Super Rugby side that comes to Fiji will get police escort everywhere they go. Yet this is a picture of a super rugby side that's sitting at the back of a truck going to their hotel in NZ!!!! DVC. #breaksme — nemzy (@nemani_nadolo) March 6, 2025 Fijian-born former Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri also weighed in, telling Australian Associated Press that the mistreatment of the Drua players was 'unacceptable'. 'You can't expect a team to be treated that way,' Tuqiri said. 'They're not an under-11s or under-12s team ... they're a professional outfit and they should be treated accordingly.' Fijian Drua made the issues known to Super Rugby management, who said they had launched an immediate review. 'Several oversights and breakdowns in communication were identified which unfortunately created additional challenges for the Drua,' chief executive Jack Mesley told the SMH. 'Those issues have now been addressed with the clubs and an external transport provider. While it is disappointing to have these issues arise in our competition, it has given us the opportunity to assess and refine our team travel processes moving forward.' The Drua are unlikely to have any similar issues this weekend as they host the competition-leading Waikato Chiefs in Lautoka on Saturday.
Reuters
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Fijian great Nadolo slams treatment of Drua players on NZ trip
March 7 (Reuters) - Former Fiji international Nemani Nadolo has slammed Super Rugby organisers after logistical foul-ups dogged the Fijian Drua on a recent trip to New Zealand to play the Wellington Hurricanes. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday that the Drua players were forced to jump into a truck hired to transport the team's baggage and equipment after their bus failed to turn up at the airport just before midnight on February 21. The following day, the newspaper reported, the Drua players -- but not those of the Hurricanes -- were forced to check out of their hotel hours before the kickoff of the match in Napier, which they lost 38-34. "Bear in mind every Super Rugby side that comes to Fiji will get police escort everywhere they go," Nadolo, a world-class winger who played 30 times for his country, wrote in a post on X beneath a picture of the Drua players in the baggage truck. "Yet this is a picture of a Super Rugby side that's sitting at the back of a truck going to their hotel in NZ. "How is this even happening? Can you imagine if this was an Aussie or a NZ franchise side? Driving in the back of a truck at midnight after showing up to the airport to find out your team bus wasn't there. Please tell me this a joke?" Fijian-born former Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri also weighed in, telling Australian Associated Press that the mistreatment of the Drua players was "unacceptable". "You can't expect a team to be treated that way," Tuqiri said. "They're not an under-11s or under-12s team ... they're a professional outfit and they should be treated accordingly." Fijian Drua made the issues known to Super Rugby management, who said they had launched an immediate review. "Several oversights and breakdowns in communication were identified which unfortunately created additional challenges for the Drua," chief executive Jack Mesley told the SMH. "Those issues have now been addressed with the clubs and an external transport provider. While it is disappointing to have these issues arise in our competition, it has given us the opportunity to assess and refine our team travel processes moving forward." The Drua are unlikely to have any similar issues this weekend as they host the competition-leading Waikato Chiefs in Lautoka on Saturday.
