Jackson hopeful Masi will be fit for first match

SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson is optimistic that Iosefo Masi’s hamstring injury is not serious as the team prepares to face the Brumbies in their Super Rugby opener on February 15 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. Masi, who has been a standout performer for the Drua, sustained the injury during their trial match against Rugby Football Club Los Angeles at Churchill Park, Lautoka, on Friday. The talented outside back left the field before halftime, raising concerns about his availability for the season’s first game.

“Unfortunately, Masi was over the ball and hurt his hamstring. He will get the scan, and hopefully, the injury is not too big,” Jackson said. Reflecting on the team’s performance against Los Angeles, Jackson identified several areas for improvement as they build towards the Brumbies clash.



“Our first-phase completion wasn’t where it should be. “We found some space, but we pushed the pass a little too much. Defensively, we were still a bit soft, so that’s something we’ll look to fix.

On the positive side, our set pieces, the scrum and lineouts functioned well, which is a great sign at this stage of preparation.” Jackson acknowledged that these early matches are critical for identifying gaps and fine tuning their systems. Jackson credited the team’s participation in local competitions like the Coral Coast 7s, Mataso 7s, and 10s tournaments for their improved cohesion and conditioning.

“These tournaments really helped us. It’s good Super Rugby stuff, the players got a lot of valuable game time and exposure to competitive match situations,” Jackson explained. In their 33-26 victory over Rugby Football Club Los Angeles, the Drua displayed glimpses of their attacking flair, with a mix of experienced and development players taking the field.

“It was outstanding to have LA here. It was a really good, tight game,” Jackson said. “For the crowd, it was entertaining, our development boys got significant time.

It was great to get our first game under the belt and shake off some cobwebs.”.