Swire Shipping Fijian Drua winger Manasa Mataele remains hopeful about the team’s recent performances, even as they encountered another defeat in their latest away match. This game marked a significant milestone for Mataele, being his 60th appearance in the Shop N Save Super Rugby and just his second outing for the Drua. He acknowledged notable improvements, especially regarding their starts in matches compared to earlier games.
Addressing the team’s focus on overcoming their slow starts, Mataele said, “Yes, definitely. That’s one thing we talked about, especially our fast start in the first half. Last week we didn’t start well. We tried to play catch-up rugby, but it just wasn’t good enough. I guess it was a big improvement, but vice versa, we didn’t finish strong. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but we’ll regroup and go again next week.”
He pointed out that control of territory was a key issue in their struggles during the second half. Spending too much time on their side of the field allowed the Waratahs to apply pressure and take advantage of their errors. “I think for us it was playing territory, playing in the right areas of the field. We played too much in our half, which gave the Waratahs attacking opportunities. We did that well in the first half, but in the second half we pushed our luck a bit too much,” Mataele explained.
In spite of the loss, Mataele showcased his attacking skills and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated support from Drua fans who traveled for the match. The team is now turning its focus towards their upcoming game against the Hurricanes in Lautoka on Saturday, gearing up to convert recent improvements into a successful outcome. The Drua’s determination to learn from their previous performances offers hope for a stronger showing in their next encounter.