Fijian Drua steal it late against Moana Pasifika in thrilling Super Rugby Pacific opener

At Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland: Fijian Drua 36 (Tevita Ikanivere 2 tries 20min, 45min, Joseva Tamani try 28min, Iosefo Masi 2 tries 36min, 58min, Taniela Rakuro try 77min; Teti Tela 2 con; Caleb Muntz con), Moana Pasifika 34 (Abraham Pole 2 tries 2min, 50min, Chris Apoua try 8min, Mike Curry try 24min, Danny Toala try 39min; Christian Lealiifano pen, 3 con). Ht: 19-26.

Yellow card: Sam Slade (Moana) 26min.

It was Pacific Islands rugby at its best at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and it was fittingly decided by a dazzling try at the death as the Fijian Drua outlasted Moana Pasifika in a furiously entertaining slugfest.

There were 11 tries all told in a splendid, fast-paced encounter, with the Drua’s sixth score, in the 77th minute to replacement wing Taniela Rakuro, deciding a contest, 36-34, that really could have gone either way. It wasn’t perfect rugby – too many errors and infringements for that – but it was a delight to watch as both teams threw everything into it and played very much to their strengths.

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For Aaron Mauger’s Moana side that was very much up front, with the home side dominating the forward arm-wrestle, and getting a brace of tries from prop Abraham Pole and another from fellow front-rower Chris Apoua. They also thrived with some outstanding power running from centre Levi Aumua and wing Timoci Tavatavanawai.

But the Drua were never out of the contest with their explosiveness and strikepower out wide, and they enjoyed strong performances from skipper and hooker Tevita Ikanivere, loose forwards Joseva Tamani and Kitione Salawa and backline stars Iosefo Masi, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre and Selestino Ravutaumada.

It was hard to believe that these were the bottom two teams of 2022, such was the quality of the contest and the array of skills on show. On this, you will take either lightly this year at your peril.

Mauger’s men got off to an explosive start, crossing for a try apiece to starting props Pole and Apoua inside the first 10 minutes for the early 12-0 lead. Both came on the back of standout runs by backs, Aumua for the opener and Fijian wing Timoci Tavatavanawai for the second.

But in a half that played out at a frantic pace, the action continued to come thick and fast. The Drua got on the board at the end of the opening quarter when skipper Tevita Ikanivere drove over after a series of tapped penalties, and loose forward Mike Curry replied for the home side soon after to get them out to 19-5.

The Drua then struck twice to punish their hosts for a yellow card to lock Sam Slade, Joseva Tomani (off a quick tap) and Olympic sevens gold medallist Masi (from a brilliant move off lineout, with Tomani laying on the assist) crossing to level the scores at 19-19 in the shadow of the break.

Moana, though, were not done, second five Danny Toala punishing the Drua for a handling error when he danced 30-odd metres down the right touchline for a seven-pointer that gave the home side the 26-19 halftime lead.

The contest continued to surge back and forth over the second 40, Ikanivere’s early second score answered by Pole’s, before Masi completed his brace to level the scores at 31-31. Skipper Christian Lealiifano then put Moana back in front (34-31) with the only penalty shot of the match before the Drua produced the razzle-dazzle to clinch the victory, Salawa and Samusamuvodre breaking down the left touch, and Ravutaumada laying on the magic to put Rakuro in for the winner.

Big moment

Without doubt the 77th-minute try to replacement wing Rakuro that gave the Drua the lead for the first time. It featured some fabulous open-field running and was a deserved match-winner.

Match rating

8/10: What was not to love. Sure there were a fw too many penalties, and a few too many handling errors. But for a round 1 contest between the bottom two sides of ‘22, this was a highly entertaining, surging contest with a thrilling finish.

MVP

Tokyo Olympics sevens gold medallist Masi has a brilliant debut for the Drua, bagging a double to just shade his skipper Tevita Ikanivere who did likewise.

The big picture

It’s week one, so probably best not to read too much into what this means in terms of the competition. But one thing we can be sure of – this fast-paced game that the new law variations encourage suits both of these teams to a tee.