The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua players have started their off season training for next year’s Super Rugby Pacific competition.

Drua head coach Mick Byrne told SUNsports that they have com­menced their training in three High Performance Unit (HPU) cen­tres in the country.

“These centres are in Nadi, Siga­toka and Suva,” Byrne said.

“This will allow players to work hard while staying at home. We believe this gives our players a mental refresh while continuing to strive for big gains in terms of physical preparations.”

Byrne said the focus in the next few weeks would be the ‘Hypertro­phy phase’- the ability for players to focus on a good strength pro­gramme to improve on the already big gains from their inaugural SRP season.

“After a very demanding first season of Super Rugby, a number of our Drua players have enjoyed a hard-earned break,” the coach said.

“A very pleasing post-season sce­nario for a number of our Drua players was their call up to the Fly­ing Fijians.

“It was a very proud set of staff that watched on as our players ac­quitted themselves in the step-up to international rugby. As a coach­ing group, it was a very proud mo­ment for us.”

Byrne said Drua players who played for the Vodafone Flying Fiji­ans during the Pacific Nations Cup were now taking their well-earned break.

“We are looking forward to wel­coming our Flying Fijians back into camp over the next few weeks,” he added.

Injury update

Byrne said a few of the players who had undergone surgery re­pairs after a challenging first sea­son are now undergoing intensive rehab programmes in the country.

The players are Meli Derenalagi, Vilive Miramira, Kalione Nasoko, Kitione Salawa and Meli Tuni.

“They are progressing well,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Saturday’s Skipper Fiji Rugby Championship grand final between Naitasiri and Nadi could feature a couple of Drua players.

Lock Chris Minimbi was Naita­siri’s line-out kingpin in their 25-22 win over Nadroga in the semifinal while Kitione Taliga kicked over Nadi’s winner in their 20-19 win over Suva.

The two are tipped to start in the 2022 final at Prince Charles Park, Nadi, while at the moment there is no confirmation on the possibil­ity that Tuidraki Samusamuvodre could play for Naitasiri.

On the same note, Drua No.8 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta has been named in the Tasman Mako squad to play in the upcoming New Zea­land National Provincial Champi­onship.

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