The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Development side ran riot in Ba on Thursday, blasting Ba Rugby 48-5 in the curtain-raiser at 4R Electrical Govind Park ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific season opener between the Drua and the Brumbies. The Development team set the tone early with a flurry of tries and never looked back, their forwards and backs combining to produce a clinical attacking display.
The scoring opened in the sixth minute when flanker Joseva Tamani crossed the whitewash, with Simione Kuruvoli adding the conversion. Just three minutes later Maika Tuitubou doubled the lead, again converted by Kuruvoli, before wing Sikeli Basiyalo went over in the 13th minute to make it three unanswered tries. Taniela Rakuro then struck twice in quick succession, scoring in the 24th and 28th minutes, the latter effort also sent over by Kuruvoli.
Ba’s hopes of a first-half recovery were dealt a severe blow in the 38th minute when Saimone Tagitaginivalu was shown a red card. The Drua Development side capitalised immediately, Basiyalo grabbing his second try just before the break to leave the visitors firmly in control at halftime.
The second half saw more of the same from the home side. Invitational player Sakiusa Lewenilovo, representing the Development team from Airport Rugby Club, went over shortly after the restart. Ba managed their only score through Valami Kunavue in the 47th minute, but the conversion attempt missed, leaving the Southeast Fijian town with work to do. Rakuro completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute and Meli Driu added the conversion late in the half to seal the 48-5 result.
The result underlined the depth of the Drua’s talent pool and offered promising signs for the franchise’s development pathway. Rakuro’s treble and Basiyalo’s brace were particular highlights, while Kuruvoli and Driu provided reliable kicking to keep the scoreboard ticking. For Ba, the red card and the inability to contain the Drua attack exposed defensive frailties that will need addressing.
The match served as a warm-up for the main event at Govind Park and a showcase for players pushing for higher honours in the Super Rugby environment. The Development side’s comprehensive victory will bolster confidence among players and coaches alike as the Super Rugby Pacific season gets underway.
Leave a comment