‘Breakdown a worry’

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua aims to secure three wins in a row when they take on Chiefs on Sunday in their Super Round match at One NZ Stadium, Christchurch.

As they chase a historic win under and their first-ever three-game winning streak against a confident Chiefs side, head coach Glen Jackson said they would be faced with travel fatigue and breakdown battle.

The Drua have had back-to-back victories against Western Force and Brumbies in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific round nine and ten matches, respectively.

“We can, but we’ve also got to do something we haven’t done and that’s three in a row,” Jackson said.

“We’re always here to try and create history, but we’re under no illusion. It’s a massive occasion for Christchurch and great for them to have a stadium like this.

“The Chiefs are the Chiefs. They’ve just beaten the Hurricanes and will have huge confidence going into that game.

“The boys are going to have to play well. They’ve got to prepare well and if we do that, we’re a good chance.”

Jackson said the key would be matching and disrupting the Chiefs’ intensity, particularly at the breakdown.

“The breakdown is going to be a massive area for both teams. It has been throughout Super Rugby,” he said.

“Whoever wins the breakdown usually wins the game. The Chiefs are strong there, especially with their loose forwards.”

He also highlighted the threat of centre Quinn Tupaea and playmaker Damian McKenzie.

“Tupaea’s ability on the ball in the midfield is going to be huge for us. We know how they play. They’re a great team to watch,” Jackson said.

“McKenzie is playing very well, and they’ve got quality players all over the park — All Blacks everywhere.

“There’s quiet confidence in how our boys is preparing.”

Jackson said the squad’s growing experience would be crucial despite a demanding travel schedule.

“We’ve got a lot of experienced players now who understand how we want to play. It’s just about preparing well,” he said.

The team will spend only a few days training at home before returning to Christchurch.

“It’s a tough competition with the travel, but I’m excited about the team we’ll put out and the challenge ahead.”

Match kick-off is at 4.30pm (Fiji time).

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