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Drua add another Fiji fixture to their Super Rugby schedule
The Fijian Drua and Gallagher Chiefs have announced their Round 15 fixture will now be played at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji, kicking off at 3pm NZT on Saturday May 28.
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The fixture was initially scheduled to be played at CBUS Super Stadium in Robina but will now be played in the host’s home country to mark the first match the two sides have played against each other. The last match the Gallagher Chiefs played in Fiji was in 2019 when they defeated the Crusaders 40 – 27 in Suva.
A sell-out crowd of 15,102 witnessed the Fijian Drua play on home soil for the very first time last Saturday against the Highlanders. The match more than lived up to the hype and expectations, and preparations are already underway for the last regular season match between the Fijian Drua and the Gallagher Chiefs at Churchill Park.
Fijian Drua CEO Brian Thorburn said: “The Gallagher Chiefs are one of the leading sides in the competition and currently sit fourth on the ladder. With a squad featuring 12 All Blacks and names like Pita Gus Sowakula, Brad Weber, Brodie Retallick and All Black Captain Sam Cane, they will be vying for a win to secure a home quarter-final. But the Drua will be out to spoil their party with the support of our vocal locals.”
Thorburn added “Given the popularity of the Chiefs in Fiji, as well as the Drua, I have no doubt that we’ll get another sell-out, and we will do everything we can to safely increase capacity at the venue’. We’ve also learned from the Highlanders match and we have earmarked an area at the northern end of the field for $20 tickets. Due to the limited size of this area and the number of available tickets, these will only be available from Lautoka Council offices.”
Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Michael Collins said it is exciting for the club to head back to Fiji to play the Fijian Drua for the first time.
“It’s really exciting for our club that the Gallagher Chiefs will face the Fijian Drua for the first time in their home nation. We know how passionate the Fijian people are about rugby and we’ve always been truly grateful for their warm hospitality and enthusiasm when we have played in Fiji previously.” said Collins.
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“It’s great to hear their last fixture against the Highlanders sold out. There are plenty of Gallagher Chiefs supporters in Fiji that will be delighted the match will take place there so we are really looking forward to the fixture.” finished Collins.
Tickets for the match at Churchill Park are priced from $20 for adults, $10 for kids under 12 and will be available for sale from Monday 9th May at the Lautoka City Council office, and eight selected Jack’s of Fiji outlets.
Lautoka City Council CEO Mohammed Anees Khan said: “This will be an historic event for the City of Lautoka, as the Sugar City will play host to its first ever fixture of the Super Rugby franchise. What makes this more special is that our own boys will be playing in front of a home crowd of the Western Division of Fiji.”
“An influx of guests, visitors and tourists are expected to grace the game venue at Churchill Park. This gives the business community of Lautoka to showcase what the Sugar City has to offer. Considerable economic activity is expected to be generated by this fixture.”
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An exciting curtain-raiser match is also planned for the day, with details to be announced later in partnership with the Fiji Rugby Union.
– Chiefs Rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments