Drua coach blames 'one little call' for close loss to Western Force

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson expressed pride in his team's effort despite their 19-15 loss to the Western Force in Perth, acknowledging that a single critical moment decided the tight contest. Jackson noted the inherent difficulty of playing away from home, especially after their season's finals hopes were extinguished by other results. He felt his players showed strong character throughout the match, particularly given the demanding travel schedule from Fiji.

The turning point, according to Jackson, was a contentious passage of play late in the game. He suggested that a forward pass went unpunished in the build-up to a Western Force try, a call he believes significantly influenced the final result. "One little call cost us," Jackson stated, emphasizing the fine margins that separated the two sides. Despite the frustration over the officiating, he praised the resilience and performance of his squad.

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Look, it’s a hard place to come to. I thought, you know, obviously our season, we knew it was finished when the Reds did the job on Moana. We won, unfortunately, from Moana, but I was bloody stoked with the boys.

Jackson also highlighted the milestone achievement of Kitione Salawa, who marked his 50th appearance for the club, describing his performance as outstanding. The coach felt that several players delivered strong performances that deserved more recognition. The Drua's final match of the season is against the Reds on Friday.

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One little call cost us.