Defending champions of the National Rugby Championships, the Queensland Country is expecting a much improved Fiji Drua side in this year’s competition.

Captain Duncan Paia’aua says the Fijian side will be a team to look out for as they will be on a mission to improve their performance having reached the semi-finals in their debut last year.

“Yeah the boys whenever the Fiji Drua come out we look for the Brisbane City gang we always try to get up to that game. It’s always a good battle and they got a good team this year so it going to be really good.”

The NRC kicks off on Saturday and the Queensland takes on the Vikings at 7pm in Canberra and in the other match, Fiji Drua hosts Melbourne Rising at 3pm in Nausori’s Ratu Cakobau Park.