1 January, 2026, 7:19 pm Central - 25°C Rain

Criticism shows people still care about the Fijian Drua - CEO

Criticism shows people still care about the Fijian Drua - CEO

By Rashika Kumar
01/01/2026
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua CEO Mark Evans

After the season the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua has had and the criticisms received, outgoing CEO Mark Evans says the time to worry is when they don't say anything because they don't care.

Evans says he has noticed that in Fiji, teams are often judged by their highest point of success and anything below that peak is often seen as a disappointment.

However, he says that is simply not how sport works as nobody stays at the top forever.

Evans says in the fourth season, despite playing very well in the first five games, the results did not follow and that is simply the nature of sport.

He says there are times when you can play poorly and still win, and other times when you perform well but fall short, as the margins can be extremely slim.

The outgoing CEO says people should not overreact and should instead concentrate on the process, as the team will come through.

He says they are a good club with good people, are doing the right things, and that sometimes you just have to wait.

INSERT: Evans on good and bad yrs 1 jan

The Drua will play the Chiefs in a pre-season matchup at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui at 3pm on January 30.

They then return to Fiji to take on a Provincial Select team on 6th February at Lautoka’s Churchill Park.

The Drua will host Moana Pasifika at Churchill Park in Lautoka in their first match for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season on the 14th of February.

FNRL
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