18 Sep 2017

Sport: Discipline a concern for Drua

12:27 pm on 18 September 2017

Discipline remains a concern for the Fijian Drua despite beating the New South Wales Country Eagles to climb to second place in the Australian National Rugby Championship.

The Drua prevailed 31-14 in their first home match in Sigatoka, running in five tries to one, to build on their maiden victory away to Melbourne Rising.

Despite the flattering scoreline, head coach Senirusi Seruvakula said discipline remained their biggest concern, with the Drua conceding a whopping 17 penalties to three at Lawaqa Park.

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Photo: Fiji Rugby Union

Tighthead prop Kalivati Tawake is the most penalised player in the competition after three rounds, while yellow cards to Eroni Sau and Seru Cavuilati made it four in three matches.

"Because sometimes the players are just carried away and the game is fast," Seruvakula lamented.

"We just need to work on our discipline on the field for the 80 minutes - it's how we defend and it's how we attack and the boys have to understand those different parts of the game where they have to work as a team.

"The most area that we are working on at the moment is maintaining discipline - we can't be affording in this competition dishing out yellow cards and it will really cost us if we play a better team".

After playing their first match, recording their first win and a debut appearance on home soil over the past three weeks, Senirusi Seruvakula admits every week feels like a new milestone.

"It's exciting every week and it's a challenge every week playing against these teams from Australia and it's a big learning for me as a coach and the players also," he said.

"It's different - there's a lot of positives we learn from each game and it's a good experience for these boys playing against these NRC teams from Australia.

"Because a lot of these teams they fielded a lot of Super Rugby players and some who are Wallabies...and it lifted the players, their understanding of the game and they get some experience from playing against these guys.

"The standard here in Fiji, the rugby, is too low and they lifted from provincial and to the (Fiji Warriors) but this is a new level all together playing in the NRC competition".

The team set a target of making the top four playoffs before the start of their inaugural campaign and Seruvakula said, with two wins from their opening three matches, confidence and belief is growing in the team.

"That was out objective from the start - to start early and be maintaining to keep in the top four," he said.

"Because the competition it's long so that our aim is to be in the top four this year and to put a mark in our first year in the NRC".

The Drua are level on 10 points with defending champions Perth Spirit after three rounds, and host the league leaders in Suva on Saturday.