Ponipate Loganimasi of Fijian Drua runs with the ball. Photo: Getty Images
Analysis - There is no other way for the Fijian Drua to secure a top six finish in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific, but to start winning, and keep winning from this weekend.
Otherwise, they can forget about appearing in the preliminary finals, where the four teams behind the top two will fight off for semifinal spots.
After seven games, the Drua are sitting at the bottom of the points table, with one lone win to their name.
They have lost two of their three home games this year.
Winning against the Highlanders is what head coach Glen Jackson hopes the team can achieve on Saturday night in Dunedin.
That is if the team, seriously and badly, wants to continue what they have been able to do in the past two seasons, get into the final play-offs.
A loss will make their job tougher.
On form, the top four is still open, at least for five of the teams in the top eight currently.
The top three teams - Chiefs, Crusaders, and Reds - have an easier task of qualifying.
They have won at least five games already, after eight rounds, and have the probability of winning at least four more games each on their way to the final round of competition - which will be the 16th for all teams.
The other three teams in the current top six are Western Force, Brumbies, and the Waratahs.
They have have four of their matches each and look set to win at least three of their next competition games.
Behind them, the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika, have three wins each to their names so far.
Moana Pasifika are on fire, and created history last week when they recorded their first back-to-back wins, beating the Crusaders and the Waratahs in the process.
The Drua is the only team that has won just one game so far, with the Blues and the Highlanders sitting above them with two wins each to their names.
The equation is simple for Drua and Jackson knows that well.
He told reporters in Nadi on this week that the team has a chance to make it into the top six.
But that chance is very slim, unless they can beat the Highlanders and win their three home matches.
Drua have home games against the Waratahs, Blues, Hurricanes, and the Force.
They travel to meet Moana Pasifika and Reds in their remaining games.
Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson. 7 June 2024 Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
While Jackson and the team are pinning their hopes on winning their four home games, the results against the Brumbies and Crusaders on Fiji soil have not been positive for them.
He told the media getting the result in Dunedin was the first step to their fight back, from the bottom up.
However, first and foremost he and his management need to address the elephant in the room and find out why the team's performance started dropping against the Brumbies and Western Force.
Jackson blames the drop in his team being new to the competition, saying players are still learning the ropes.
"I say it every press conference, we are a very young team and I make no bones about how much their game management is understood," he said.
"But at the end of the day, we are a team that comes from a village into Super Rugby, so our job is to make sure that the boys are not too hard on themselves and we are trying to learn all the time."
Majority of the Drua players have been together for three years, with a few who joined this year.
On top of that, players have also been playing together for the Flying Fijians.
Moana Pasifika, who started the competition with the Drua in 2022, have won three matches, with the famous away win against the Crusaders in Christchurch three weekends ago, amongst that.
He said the next three matches are important, if they are to achieve their target of 2025.
"The next three are really important. But we definitely take a game at a time because we need a win against the Highlanders, who are very good, very hard working team," he said.
"Then we have got a bit of a home run of teams that are all round about where we are.
"The results in the weekend, unfortunately for us, were not great, but the in terms of the other results, we are certainly by no means out of this competition.
"And that is important that the nation and our team, especially understand that, and that is something we really put to them on Monday. We we want them to be relaxed, enjoy what they are doing at the moment."
He said the last two years have been fantastic with the Drua making the play-offs.
With teams now reduced to six making it into the finals play-off that has added pressure on all the teams.
Jackson has made changes to his leadership team, with both co-captains Tevita Ikanivere and Frank Lomani out of this weekend's game.
Junior Ratuva makes a break during the round two Super Rugby Pacific match between Hurricanes and Fijian Drua at McLean Park. Photo: Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
Ikanivere has been rested, with his Queen Victoria School old scholar Mesulame Dolokoto replacing him in the starting 15 and the captaincy role.
Dolokoto is joined by centre Iosefo Masi as co-captains for this weekend's game.
Lomani is out for the rest of the season because of injury. That paves the way for young Filipe Baselala getting a call up for his likely first game this season at halfback, off the bench.
Jackson said Ikanivere has been playing alot of rugby and "is a great leader" but he has also seen Dolokoto's performance and has rewarded the player.
"Tex (Ikanivere) is good, he has played a lot of rugby recently, so we have have a change around that," he said.
"He is a great leader for us. And I think we've got some good hookers that are there and wanting to have some good quality time."
Changes to the side that lost to the Crusaders last weekend sees Caleb Muntz at fullback and young Baselala on the bench this weekend.
Jackson has retained Haereiti Hetet (1) at loosehead prop, with Mesake Doge (3) at tighthead.
The locks pairing of Mesake Vocevoce (4) and Isoa Nasilasila (5) retain their places in the middle row, with the loose trio of Joseva Tamani (6) at blindside flanker, Isoa Tuwai (7) at openside and Elia Canakaivata at eight.
Halfback Simione Kuruvoli and flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula partner again in the key combination to lead the team's attacks.
The Highlanders have named a strong lineup, which includes four Fijian heritage players, including co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai.
He is joined by Jona Nareki, Veveni Lasaqa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens in the starting lineup.
Fijian Drua: 1. Haereiti Hetet, 2. Mesulame Dolokoto (co-captain), 3. Mesake Doge, 4. Mesake Vocevoce, 5. Isoa Nasilasila, 6. Joseva Tamani, 7. Isoa Tuwai, 8. Elia Canakaivata, 9. Simione Kuruvoli, 10. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 11. Ponipate Longanimasi, 12. Inia Tabuavou, 13. Iosefo Masi (co-captain), 14. Selestino Ravutaumada, 15. Caleb Muntz; Reserves: 16. Zuriel Togiatama, 17. Peni Ravai, 18. Samuela Tawake, 19. Leone Rotuisolia, 20. Vilive Miramira, 21. Philip Baselala, 22. Isikeli Rabitu, 23. Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.
Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Henry Bell, 3. Sosefo Kautai, 4. Will Stodart, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Oliver Haig, 7. Veveni Lasaqa, 8. Hugh Renton (co-captain), 9. Folau Fakatava, 10. Cameron Millar, 11. Jona Nareki, 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c), 13. Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 14. Taniela Filimone, 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens; Reserves: 16. Jack Taylor, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Saula Ma'u, 19. Tai Cribb, 20. Nikora Broughton, 21. Adam Lennox, 22. Sam Gilbert, 23. Tanielu Tele'a.
Highlanders v Drua
Kick-off: 7.05pm Saturday 12 April
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
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