Pellegrini: Fiji against

Without Ardie Savea, the Moana Pasifika side will be no pushover when they face the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific opener at Churchill Park, Lautoka, on Saturday.

This time the Tana Umaga coached side is looking up to powerhouse flanker Miracle Fai’ilagi who has stepped into the captaincy role when Savea left for Japan.

This time the Moana Pasifika players are backing the new skipper to guide them through a highly anticipated Pacific clash against the Drua.

First five-eighth Patrick Pellegrini told Pacific Media Network that Fai’ilagi’s leadership style has already earned the respect of the squad.

“We’ve got a lot of senior boys and Miracle he’s been unreal and the boys will follow him into anything… he doesn’t say a whole lot, but he’ll lead by his actions so the boys will just follow him and back him,” Pellegrini says.

Fai’ilagi said he has leaned heavily on the team’s leadership group as he settles into the role, drawing support from experienced players both on and off the field.

“Our leadership group has been good, I rely on them sometimes… Patrick Pellegrini is one of the guys that I lean on the field, but we have older guys helping out with off-field stuff so everyone is helping out,” the Manu Samoan international said.

“What we expect is it’s going to be a good clash of the Pacific, we know what the Drua are capable of with the massive crowd and their support as well so it’s going to be special,” he said.