The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will be taking on the Gallagher Chiefs in a pre-season trial at Mount Maunganui on Friday 30th January.
The highly anticipated clash with the 2025 grand finalists at Blake Park will serve as a crucial buildup for the 2026 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season.
The wider Fijian Drua squad will travel to New Zealand for the trial, allowing the coaches to test as many players as possible against the Men from Waikato.
This fixture holds added significance as it marks the Fijian Drua’s first-ever appearance in the Bay of Plenty region, providing local fans with a historic opportunity to witness their electrifying, attacking style of rugby.
Drua Head Coach Glen Jackson says it is the first time they are playing a trial game in New Zealand - as they have always either been in Australia and Fiji.
Jackson says they are grateful to face a quality opponent like the Gallagher Chiefs and they thank them for this opportunity.
He says its four days away in camp and this trial is exactly what they need at that stage of their preparation.
The Drua coach says these early matches are less about the result and more about executing their game plan, building cohesion, and testing the fitness levels of their wider squad.
He says it is an invaluable chance for their players to push their boundaries before the main competition starts especially against a quality side like the Chiefs.
Jackson says he knows that there are a lot of Fijians down in the Bay Area as he grew up there, and hopefully fans make use of the last week of the school holidays with the kids and come out to support the Drua.
The trial will be played across two 40-minute halves.
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