Fijian Drua forced to ride in back of truck as part of travel issues before Hurricanes clash - reports

The Fijian Drua players and management allegedly travelled in the back of a truck after their team bus was cancelled. Photo / Facebook

• Super Rugby officials will investigate claims the Fijian Drua faced travel issues in Auckland.
• The Drua reportedly travelled in a luggage truck after their bus was cancelled.
• Coach Glen Jackson highlighted multiple issues, including no late checkout and misidentification by broadcasters.

Fijian rugby star Nemani Nadolo has claimed double standards for Super Rugby teams after the Fijian Drua reportedly suffered several travel issues including taking a ride in the back of a truck in the lead-up to their round-two clash with the Hurricanes last month.

Super Rugby officials will reportedly investigate claims the Drua were forced to travel in the back of a luggage truck following a late-night arrival in Auckland last month, with several other travel complaints in the lead-up to their second-round loss in Napier.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports Fijian Drua management wrote to Super Rugby chief executive Jack Mesley to highlight several travel issues they encountered which included their opponents getting a late checkout from their hotel before kickoff when the Drua didn’t.

The Fijian Drua players and management allegedly travelled in the back of a truck after their team bus was cancelled. Photo / Facebook

Nadolo said in a Facebook post that the travel issues never happen when other sides visit Fiji.

“How is this even happening? 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. Instead of waiting another three hours for it to arrive, the boys jump in the back of a truck to get to the hotel.”

“Every time a Super Rugby franchise visits Fiji, they’re treated like royalty, with police escorts and top-tier hospitality. Can you imagine an Australian or New Zealand team ever being put through something like this?”

The travel issues all took place when the Drua began their journey to Napier for their second-round clash against the Hurricanes.

The Drua landed in Auckland near midnight but the bus which was to transport them to their hotel didn’t show, before eventually management found out it had been cancelled, the SMH reports.

The squad and management were instead forced to get into the back of a truck which had been booked for the team’s luggage and equipment.

The SMH reports the issues continued, with the Drua not having a late checkout on the day of their match against in Napier.

The game kicked off at 4pm, meaning management had to organise alternative arrangements on the day of the match, while the SMH claims the Hurricanes were able to stay in the same hotel, right up until kickoff.

The Hurricanes went onto win the match with a late try.

“We knew right from the beginning it was going to be a pretty interesting trip,” coach Glen Jackson said after the loss. “I don’t think we got all the favours when landing.

“We didn’t have a bus ready, unfortunately, and then even when we got to the hotel in Napier, we didn’t have a room ready. So there were plenty of things that went against us.”

The Drua host the Chiefs in Lautoka tomorrow.

The SMH also claims the Drua were put off by family members being given tickets to the game on the grass embankment at McLean Park, not in the stands, while there were also issues with players being misidentified, or had their names mispronounced by host broadcasters Sky TV.