Mataiasi Stark 
[Source: Fijian Drua/Facebook]
Many Swire Shipping Fijian Drua fans are still getting familiar with Issak Fines-Leleiwasa’s game, but the former Wallaby showed glimpses of his quality during last week’s pre-season clash against the Chiefs.
His control around the ruck and composure in attack quickly caught attention, adding another layer of depth to an already competitive halfback unit.
With four strong contenders battling for the number nine jersey, Co-captain Frank Lomani says the competition is exactly what the team needs heading into the new Shop N Save Supermarket Super Rugby Pacific season.
“If there’s no competition, for us as a team, we won’t be able to play. But the competition is tight.”
Lomani pointed to the quality across the group, with Simione Kuruvoli returning after a solid campaign last year, young Philip Baselala continuing his rise, and Fines-Leleiwasa bringing experience from the Western Force and Wallabies setup.
“We have Simi, who played all of last year, and Fines is here coming from Australia with Perth and the Wallabies. Phillip, it’s very tight, so only two will play, obviously.”
He added that selection will ultimately come down to performance, with players pushing hard every week to earn their place in the match-day squad.
“There’s a performance environment. Whoever performs on the weekend puts their hand up for selection, which is good for us individually and as a team as well.”
The Fijian Drua will take on the Skipper select side this Friday for their second preseason game in Lautoka.
The match kicks off at 4pm and you can watch it LIVE on FBC Sports.
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