Yes, The Reds Can Be Beaten

Critical thinking, control and pin point execution are vital ingredients for our Swire Shipping Fijian Drua loose forwards if they are to provide stiff competition to the Queensland Reds at the Sun­corp Stadium in Brisbane, to­morrow night.

To produce the unexpected the onus will be on our loose forwards to lift their perfor­mance against the defending Super Rugby AU champions.

Our loose forwards of Vilive Miramira and Meli Derenala­gi will have to lift their game against top class opposition in fellow Fijian Seru Uru and Reds captain Fraser McReight with Harry Wilson at No.8.

The presence of hard run­ning and aggressive Drua No.8 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta in the team will be vital as he will assist our loose forwards in the breakdowns.

The two players (Miramira and Derenalagi) have the task of either maintaining or im­proving our 94 per cent ruck winning success.

They showed a glimpse of what they can do against the Rebels, where Miramira snatched a loose pass from a lineout to run 60 metres to score a try with Der­enalagi in support.

“That was the game changer,” Derenalagi said in an interview after the 31-26 win.

Not only will they have to keep the stats ticking but to disrupt Reds first five-eighth James O’Connor and his forwards from managing the game through set pieces execution.

We have to keep O’Connor at bay and to make sure that he does not control the tempo of the game.

It is obvious that the 31-year-old veteran, will lead from the back while Wilson and Tongan prop Taniela Tupou will lead from the front.

The keys to a perfect win against a well-drilled Reds are consistency, clinical execution and controlling the ruck areas to deny turnovers.

That is this why our players must believe in each other that they can win their one-on-one and back each other as a team.

The Drua should tactically be able to absorb pressure when they the Reds target certain ar­eas like high ball and set pieces.

We know how the Reds operate in that department and we have often admired their effort and work rate put in by the likes of Uru, Wilson and tireless lock Angus Blyth, who destroyed the structure of some teams in the competition.

Today, Fiji Rugby has devel­oped and breed new loose for­wards in the likes of Kitione Salawa (Junior),Miramira, Ana­sa Qaranivalu, Tomasi Naiduki, Derenalagi and Manueli Ratuni­yarawa that can make a differ­ence in a department we have struggled to compete in.

Now it’s the time for our loose forwards to step-up and take proceedings in competing and fighting for possession in the ruck areas.

On paper the depth of expe­rience in the Reds pack is un­questionable but let’s take a step back and see how our players can equally match the defending Super Rugby AU champions.

Feedback: simione.haravanua@fijisun.com.fj