The Fijian Drua tightened their grip on the Super Rugby Pacific race with a gritty 24-14 win over the Otago Highlanders at Four R Stadium in Ba on Saturday, a match watched by a small crowd under sweltering 29°C conditions. The victory was built on a combination of midfield opportunism, a powerful loose‑forward effort and a second‑half defensive lift that turned the game in the home side’s favour.
The game’s decisive moment came early when Tuidraki Samusamuvodre read a pass and batted an interception through to Virimi Vakatawa, who scored the opening try in the ninth minute. That piece of individual brilliance set the tone, with the Samoan‑born centre pairing of Samusamuvodre and Vakatawa largely keeping the Highlanders’ chief threat, inside centre Timoci Tavatavanawai, quiet across the 80 minutes.
Isikeli Rabitu made a statement on his return to the starting fullback role, using his pace and counter‑attacking instincts to cross for two tries and provide a constant threat from broken play. The Drua backline might have added more but for handling errors at crucial moments; similar lapses from the Highlanders prevented the visitors from clawing back the game in the closing stages.
It was the Drua loose forwards who did the heavy lifting after half‑time. Blindside flanker Josefa Tamani carried strongly with the ball, while openside Kitione Salawa and No.8 Elia Canakaivata secured important turnovers and dominated the breakdown battle. Props and locks Isoa Nasilasila and Temo Mayanavanua helped the tight‑five raise the defensive intensity in the second stanza with several thumping tackles that stalled Highlanders’ pick‑and‑drive attempts.
Despite the positive signs, the match exposed an area of concern for the home side. Hooker Zuriel Togiatama struggled with lineout throwing accuracy and his replacement, Kaiava Tagivetaua, also misfired after being introduced. Those lineout issues cost the Drua valuable set‑piece possession and will need urgent correction if the side is to push for a top‑six finish this season. Halfback Issak Fines‑Leleiwasa, meanwhile, showed marked improvement around the rucks and with his tackling but at times opted for territory‑giving kicks when retained possession might have yielded better attacking chances.
Frank Lomani’s shift to the right wing produced mixed returns: the veteran was reliable under the high ball and in defence but missed a couple of attacking opportunities from broken play that could have stretched the margin further. With heat regulations in place to cope with the high humidity, the visitors visibly wilted in the second half, and the Drua made them pay, establishing a two‑try cushion around the 60th minute and then defending stoutly to hold on.
The win will please Drua supporters and coaching staff alike — but the match also acts as a reminder that fundamentals, particularly lineout execution, must be tightened for the side to convert promising performances into consistent top‑six form. The Drua now turn their attention to upcoming fixtures with momentum from Ba and the clarity of what still needs fixing.