Mark Evans, the head of Fijian Drua, has openly criticised Rugby Australia (RA) regarding the travel arrangements for the women’s team as they prepare for their Super Rugby Women’s semi-final this Sunday. In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, he labelled the schedule as “inequitable”.
The Drua women’s team is currently slated to arrive in Brisbane on Saturday—just a day ahead of their crucial clash against the Reds at Ballymore Stadium.
Evans indicated that this tight scheduling could lead to “ridiculously compromised” preparations if the team advances to the grand final the following Saturday.
Fijian Drua players appealing to the referee during the round four Super Rugby Women’s match against the Western Force. James Worsfold via Getty Images
According to tournament regulations, RA covers a “maximum of three nights” of lodging for all of Drua’s away fixtures.
Despite expecting a more reasonable travel plan that would see the team arriving in Brisbane on Friday and leaving on Monday, they were instead booked to arrive on Saturday.
The team’s return flight to Suva has also been rescheduled for a day later than anticipated, potentially limiting them to a single training session at home on Wednesday before flying to Sydney on Thursday to prepare for the grand final.
This logistical misalignment was partly caused by the final standings of the competition’s top four not being determined until after the last round concluded on March 30.
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Evans expressed his confusion regarding the lack of alternative planning, stating he was “perplexed and bewildered” that RA chose not to fly the team in a day earlier.
“I find it astonishing,” he remarked. “While they cite budget constraints, it’s hard to believe a multimillion-dollar organisation can’t accommodate an extra night under such circumstances.”
“Come on, this is a final. They simply said, ‘Here are your three nights,’ and I had to ask, ‘So you want us to arrive on Saturday and only have 24 hours in the city before we compete?’.”
Mark Evans, former CEO of the Melbourne Storm. Penny Stephens via the Age
“I suspect this has happened before, but it’s not how one should prepare for finals football.”
“To hide behind the term ‘maximum’ is extraordinarily disingenuous.”
“Should we win, our preparation would be utterly compromised. Returning to Sydney [on Thursday] and facing the Waratahs or the Force, I doubt they will have endured two international flights within five days of their match.”
“I don’t think this is fair.”
It’s not unusual for Super Rugby Women’s teams to fly in the day before a match; however, there have been instances in the past where teams have travelled on the eve of games to Fiji and Perth.
“The travel arrangements for the Fijian Drua align with the competition guidelines and follow the precedents established by all travelling teams in the Super Rugby Women’s series,” confirmed a statement from RA.
“Rugby Australia believes that the Drua’s arrival in Brisbane on the morning before the match is adequate from both a logistical and high-performance standpoint,” said Jilly Collins, RA’s general manager for women’s rugby, in a statement.
The Fijian Drua men’s team has recently raised concerns with Super Rugby Pacific regarding poor treatment during a trip to New Zealand.
Before a match against the Hurricanes in February, the team arrived in New Zealand shortly before midnight, just 16 hours prior to kick-off.
Compounding matters, the team struggled to find the bus arranged by Super Rugby to take them to their accommodation, ultimately squeezing into the back of a truck designated for transporting their gear.
The NSW Waratahs Women, currently leading the ladder, will meet the Western Force in the second semi-final this Sunday at Leichhardt Oval.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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