[File Photo]

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua says the pathway to securing a contract with the franchise is a promising one for local players.

Coach Mick Byrne says this is evident with the inclusion of rookie lock forward Mesake Vocevoce in the match-day 23 squad against the Blues in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season opener last week.

Byrne says the door is always open for young academy players to come through if they have what it takes to be a professional player with the right attitude.

“We’ve got four or five academy development players in our squad this year and we’ve already put on of them in in Mesake Vocevoce at lock and we’ll probably get a couple more of those young guys push their way in. So I’d say over the course of the next two to three years, we’re going to push about 10 young players into our squad.”

Byrne says the Drua are working with the Fiji Rugby Union’s High-Performance Units to keep local and promising players in the country.

The Drua will face the Moana Pasifika this Saturday at Melbourne’s AAMI (Amy) Park in the Super Round at 6pm.

On Friday, the Blues meet the Highlanders at 7 pm while the Melbourne Rebels will take on the Western Force at 9:10pm.

On Saturday, the Crusaders meet the Waratahs at 8:35pm while on Sunday, the Chiefs battle the Brumbies at 3pm and the Hurricanes take on the Reds at 5:30pm.

You can watch the Drua versus Moana Pasifika match live on FBC Sports HD Channel