The Fijian Drua held on for a tense 24-22 victory over the Western Force at Lautoka’s Churchill Park, prevailing after a second-half comeback from the visitors left the home side clinging to a two-point margin. The win was forged through grit up front, timely playmaking and a debut try that swung momentum in the Drua’s favour.
Penaia Cakobau was a late call-up to the starting XV after loose-head Haereiti Hetet was ruled out with an injury sustained during the warm-up. Thrust into action at the scrummage, Cakobau impressed with his set-piece work and heavy ball-carrying, anchoring a forward effort that allowed the Drua to build a lead before halftime. The visitors had opened the scoring, but the Drua responded by crossing for three consecutive tries before the break.
Veteran centre Virimi Vakatawa, 33, was instrumental to that first-half surge and was named Player of the Match. The former France international was repeatedly praised for his vision, crisp offloads and ability to create space — setting up a number of attacking opportunities that the Drua converted into points. “Age might be catching up to the 33‑year‑old rugby veteran but he was instrumental in setting up a couple of tries,” the coaching staff noted after the game.
Lanky winger Isikeli Basiyalo marked his debut with a crucial intercept try, reading a Force pass and sprinting clear to add to the Drua’s tally and lift the home crowd. His try, coupled with the forwards’ work and Vakatawa’s playmaking, seemed to put the match firmly in the Drua’s control entering the second half.
The Western Force, however, mounted a strong fightback in the final 20 minutes. Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale came off the bench in the second half and began to fashion scoring chances, sparking a late surge that narrowed the gap to just two points. Despite heavy pressure from the visitors in the closing stages, the Drua defence held firm and the hosts ran down the clock to secure the narrow win.
Head coach Glen Jackson praised his players’ resilience and singled out “Isoa” for his leadership and top-drawer performance. “I thought the boys hung in there pretty well. It’s been an interesting week in terms of our training and our ability to get on to the field. I thought Isoa led really well not only in terms of his leadership but also his top draw performance,” Jackson said. The Drua will now turn their attention to a tougher assignment next week, travelling to Canberra to face the ACT Brumbies.
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