NRC Rnd 2: Fiji Drua v Brisbane City

[RugbyReg]

Saturday arvo in Fiji.

Drua named. Have bulked up their front row. For obvious reasons.

1. Joeli Veitayaki
2. Ratu Naisa Navuma
3. Mosese Ducivaki
4. Peni Naulago
5. Albert Tuisue
6. Peni Raidre
7. Mosese Voka
8. Eremasi Radrodro
9. Frank Lomani
10. Alivereti Veitokani
11. Levani Kuruimudu
12. Cyril Reece
13. Poasa Waqanibau
14. Apete Daveta
15. Apisalome Waqatabu
Reserves
16. Veremalua Vugakoto
17. Eroni Mawi
18. Luke Tagi
19. Tevita Naqali
20. Johnny Dyer
21. Seru Vularika
22. Enele Malele
23. Jona Sawailau

 

[Rugbynutter39]

One team want to watch every week is the Drua as some of the skills on display last time against Rising was classic Fiji flair....

 

[chibimatty]

Yep, it was great to see a team keeping the ball alive and finishing off a try in one scoring movement, without having to go to ground and recycling possession. Would love to see that come back into Australian rugby.

 

[rugbyfan90]

McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City team to play Fijian Drua
1:00pm, Saturday 8 September – Churchill Park, Lautoka, Fiji
1. JP Smith – Reds/GPS
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa – Reds/Sunnybank
3. Ruan Smith – Reds/GPS
4. Adam Korczyk (C) – Reds/University of Queensland
5. Nathan Den Hoedt – Sunnybank
6. Pat Morrey – University of Queensland
7. Fraser McReight – Brothers
8. Matthew Gicquel – GPS (NRC/Brisbane City starting debut)
9. Moses Sorovi – Reds/Wests
10. Quade Cooper – Reds/Souths
11. Emori Waqavulagi – Souths
12. Con Foley – University of Queensland
13. Karmichael Hunt – Reds/Souths
14. Jayden Ngamanu – Reds/Souths
15. Jaye Thompson – GPS

16. Moli Sooaemalelagi - Sunnybank
17. Josh Nasser – UQ (potential NRC/Brisbane City debut)
18. Feao Fotuaika – Souths
19. Jeremiah Lynch – Wests
20. Tuaina Tualima – Sunnybank
21. Sam Wallis – UQ (potential NRC/Brisbane City debut)
22. Phoenix Hunt – Easts
23. Matt Gordon – Easts

 

[rugbyfan90]

Korczyk and Morrey swap places, and Gicquel replaces Dillon Wihongi at 8. Did Wihongi have that bad of a game last week? Coach Heenan stated changes were to bring in more work rate.
Wihongi was a clear standout in QPR season.

 

[RugbyReg]

Korczyk and Morrey swap places, and Gicquel replaces Dillon Wihongi at 8. Did Wihongi have that bad of a game last week? Coach Heenan stated changes were to bring in more work rate.
Wihongi was a clear standout in QPR season.

Gicquel was pretty damn good too.

The Korczyk / Morrey swap is odd though.

 

[rugbyfan90]

Gicquel was pretty damn good too.

I agree. They just lack that devastating ball runner now that Wihongi was for Wests this year.

Regardless, hope they get the W!

 

[Bobby Sands]

Surely McReight to 8, Gicquel to 7?

Morrey is too short for lock and not agile/dynamic enough for 6.

 

[TSR]

Has Korcyzk played lock at club level? I am very surprised by his selection there.

Having said that he is a guy who I’ve doubted a few times in the past and he’s often made me eat humble pie.

 

[RugbyReg]

Has Korcyzk played lock at club level? I am very surprised by his selection there.

Having said that he is a guy who I’ve doubted a few times in the past and he’s often made me eat humble pie.

Yep. He has.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Drua spend 10 mins defending stoically and as soon as get into Brisbane's 22m they score.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

NEVER. LET. THE. BALL. BOUNCE. Brisbane commit a mortal sin by allowing the ball to bounce and regardless of whether they touched the ball the ref ruled they didn't and they are back in 14 - 0 Drua.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Quade's going to be sore tonight. The Drua are shutting down his space pretty effectively so far. Brisbane still look good with ball in hand but it's going to be a long day for the former Wallabies 10. I should note. It's all perfectly legal stuff.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Fijian player slips and give Quade some space. They go close but the Drua defence has been impressive. Hunt repeled with another good shot. Probably the 4th he's copped so far as well.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How can you possibly stop support play like that. The instinctive feel for where support is and the skill to execute it. Near unstoppable. Puts the opposition on the back foot which Brisbane cannot recover from Fiji in again. 21 - 0.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Fiji are just a class above - sublime skills to watch - sort of footy from Fiji you could watch all day every day

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING!!! Just stunning Rugby by the Drua. A poor defensive read by Brisbane punished with no regar for their welbeing. The Fijian 10 hit the line at 100mph and the support play finished the job. Jesus Christ.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Definite try botched there from Brisbane. Unable to hold the ball. Which predictably Fiji turn into a counterattack that fortunately for Brisbane on this occasion doesn't result in a try.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Brisbane's D is killing them just as much as the blistering running of the Drua at times. The Red Sea opened up and Fiji ran straight through. Conversion successful. 35 - 0.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Looking at Brisbane's performance so far and comparing it to Melbourne's last week perhaps the Rising weren't as poor as we thought but may be the Drua are just that much better. There defence has been nothing short of fantastic. Brisbane had all the running in the first 10 minutes and couldn't break it. Outside of Hunt's drop ball (he's been a bit of a passenger again this week) Brisbane hasn't looked too likely but that's directly down to the Drua D. Their set piece has been solid as well.