Fijian Drua's travel disruptions in Aotearoa spark outrage

An online frustration has erupted over what many have termed a “nightmare” journey for the Fijian Drua.

Last week, the team arrived in Auckland, unaware that the next 48 hours would be stressful.

“I think they lost, they actually lost the game the minute they landed in Auckland,” says former Fiji rugby captain Nemani Nadolo, who took to Facebook to voice his frustrations.

The disruptions include travelling in the back of a luggage truck and being denied a late hotel checkout, which has angered the rugby community.

"What frustrates me the most is that after a long flight, the team arrives at the airport only to find that their bus is nowhere to be seen,” Nadolo says.

“Instead of waiting another three hours for it to arrive, the boys jump in the back of a truck to get to the hotel.”

The team arrived at Auckland Airport to find that the bus booked by Super Rugby to transport them to their hotel was missing.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the bus booking had been cancelled due to a mistake by the transport company.

With no other options available, players and staff were forced to pile into the back of a truck meant for transporting their luggage and equipment.

Drua players and staff packed in the luggage truck. Photo/Facebook.

The challenges didn’t end there. Upon arriving in Napier for the match, the Drua shared a hotel with the Hurricanes but were told they could not have a late checkout before their 4pm game.

But The Herald reported that the Drua later learned the Hurricanes had been granted a late checkout, allowing them to rest comfortably in their rooms until just before kickoff.

Nadolo highlighted the disparity in treatment, saying that visiting Super Rugby teams are treated like royalty when they play in Fiji.

"Now think about this, every time Super Rugby franchise visit Fiji, they’re treated like royalty with police escorts and top-tier hospitality.

“Can you imagine an Australian or New Zealand team being put through something like this?" he asked

The Drua put up a strong effort in their match against the Hurricanes, briefly leading in the second half before ultimately losing 38-34.

Former Fiji rugby captain Nemani Nadolo has criticised the treatment of the Drua team in New Zealand. Photo/Supplied

However, Nadolo believes the team was at a disadvantage from the start.

"Me and a lot of others said they lost that game in the last 10 minutes. But after hearing what happened, I think they actually lost the game the minute they landed in Auckland," he says.

"Can you imagine an Australian or New Zealand team ever being put through something like this?".

Drua coach Glen Jackson also acknowledged the difficulties the team faced during their trip.

"We knew right from the beginning it was going to be a pretty interesting trip. I did not think we got all the favours when landing,"

Following a review, Super Rugby Pacific admitted that several breakdowns in communication had created challenges for the Drua.

The organisation stated that the issues had been addressed with the clubs and an external transport provider, and they vowed to improve travel processes moving forward.

Photo/ABC Pacific.

Drua General Manager Baden Stephenson confirmed that the team had raised their concerns through the appropriate channels.

"The Drua have gone through the right channels in a respectful way and are now satisfied that the issues have been acknowledged and learnt from."

Fijian Drua vs Hurricanes

The Fijian Drua will now focus on their next match, where they host the Chiefs in Lautoka on Saturday.

The Drua will seek redemption from their 46-29 loss to the Chiefs in their last encounter.

While the team has put the travel disruptions behind them, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about fairness in the competition.