The Fijian Drua will be looking to claim their first ever NRC trophy in only their second season in the tournament when they take on reigning champions Queensland Country on Saturday the 27th of October.
There’s a cracking game of rugby in-store this Saturday with the free-running Fijian Drua taking on try-scoring machines, Queensland Country, in the 2018 NRC Final. The hosts head into their final as strong favourites with the bookmakers. That’s not to say that this will be a one-sided affair. Far from it in fact, as Queensland Country know how to get the job done in a final.
Fijian Drua v Queensland Country
Saturday 27 October
Churchill Park
05:30
To Win (80 Mins)
Drua 8/15
Draw 25/1
Queensland 13/8
*Forecast Odds
Fijian Drua
The Drua making the final of the NRC in only their second season in the tournament really is a massive achievement for Fijian rugby. I mean this is a side that lack funding and don’t have the facilities that their Australian opponents do. They are also a side full of players with no Super Rugby experience and little exposure.
This weekend’s hosts thoroughly deserve their spot in the final. They have played an exciting and winning brand of rugby that saw them claim six wins from their seven round-robin fixtures with their only defeat being a 52-22 loss away to Queensland Country.
The Fijians head into Saturday’s final off the back of a convincing 40-17 semi-final victory over the Melbourne Rising. The game not only saw them dominate with ball-in-hand but also showed how much they have improved their discipline.
Queensland Country
The reigning champions face a very difficult challenge in defending their title as they travel to Fiji to take on a fired-up Drua side in front of what will be an extremely vocal home crowd.
Queensland will take a lot of heart from their round-robin result over the Fijian which saw them run out 23-point victors. They are unlikely to be as dominant here as the Fijians will have learnt a lot of lessons since that defeat.
Like the Drua, Queensland head into this one off the back of a solid semi-final victory as they beat the Canberra Vikings 35-45 away from home.
Verdict: Fijian Drua 8/15 *Forecast Odds
They are playing in front of what will be a partisan crowd. And I expect them to send those fans into raptures come the final whistle on Saturday.
