Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Head Coach Mick Byrne says players welfare is always paramount and they will not rush their injured players back into the team.
This is after the Drua side revealed that the team’s flyhalves are all under an injury cloud including Alivereti Veitokani who has a knee injury, Caleb Muntz is undertaking rehab from shoulder surgery while Teti Tela is undertaking light training only as he recovers from an Achilles tendon rupture.
Byrne says they need a flyhalf with experience at this level to keep their pack moving forward with tactical kicking and unleashing their backline at every opportunity.
He says Baden Kerr has the right set of skills to meet this requirement and they are excited to have him on the Drua side.
He adds Kerr brings valuable top-level experience into the squad having played in Super Rugby, the English Premiership, New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship and Japan.
Byrne says the experience Kerr has will also be excellent mentorship for other flyhalf options including Napolioni Bolaca, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre and Kitione Taliga.
Kerr becomes the squad’s first non-Fiji eligible player to provide injury cover and depth in the crucial playmaker role.
The Drua will begin their Super Rugby Pacific campaign against the Blues on the 19th of February 2022.
