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Fijian Drua Women's coach demands faster start after opening loss

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • McDonald's Fijian Drua Women's coach Mike Legge identified a slow start and physical disadvantage as key factors in their opening-round loss to NSW Waratahs.
  • Legge emphasized the need for the team to improve their intensity from the beginning of matches in the short Super W competition.
  • Despite the defeat, the coach praised the performance of the team's debutants, particularly Varanisese Qoro, and stressed collective responsibility for the loss.

McDonald's Fijian Drua Women's coach Mike Legge is demanding a rapid improvement in his team's performance after a disappointing opening-round defeat to the NSW Waratahs in the Super W competition. The Drua succumbed to a 42-29 loss, a result Legge attributes largely to a sluggish start and an inability to match the Waratahs physically.

We got owned at the collision. We definitely started late. It took us 34 minutes to even get into the game. I’m not too sure what the reason is, but we’ve got to fix it because it’s a short competition. We’ve got to make sure that we nail everything from the get-go.

— Mike LeggeFijian Drua Women's coach Mike Legge on the team's slow start and physical struggles in their opening match.

"We got owned at the collision. We definitely started late. It took us 34 minutes to even get into the game," Legge stated, highlighting the critical issue of their slow start. He stressed that such lapses cannot be afforded in a condensed competition where every match carries significant weight for finals aspirations. The coach believes the opening 20 minutes were particularly costly, allowing the Waratahs to dictate the game and forcing the Drua to play catch-up.

Despite the overall disappointment, Legge found silver linings in the performances of the team's nine debutants who gained valuable game time against a formidable opponent. He singled out young player Varanisese Qoro for an "encouraging display," especially in open play. However, Legge was quick to emphasize that the responsibility for the loss lies with the entire squad.

I thought the debutantes went well. All 10 players got an opportunity, and I thought Qoro was pretty good, especially in broken play.

— Mike LeggeCoach Mike Legge praising the performance of the team's debutants, including Varanisese Qoro.

"It's a team thing. We've all got to take this loss on the chin, get home, regroup, review and start preparing for the Force," he said. The Drua Women now shift their focus to their first home match of the season against the Western Force, where a significantly improved performance will be essential to keep their Super W campaign on track.

It’s a team thing. We’ve all got to take this loss on the chin, get home, regroup, review and start preparing for the Force.

— Mike LeggeCoach Mike Legge emphasizing collective responsibility for the defeat.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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