A red-hot Waratahs ran riot at HFC Stadium in Suva on Saturday, racing to a 36-7 half-time lead and finishing with a commanding 50-35 victory over the Fijian Drua as damp, slippery conditions did little to blunt the visitors’ cutting edge. The result was all the more striking after the Waratahs were forced to rule Joseph Sua’ali’i out before kick-off with a hamstring injury.
The visitors scored six tries in the opening 40 minutes to put the match beyond the Drua early. Max Jorgensen, Harry Potter and Sid Harvey were among the Tahs who repeatedly punctured the Drua defence, with the visitors’ game plan centred on exposing vulnerabilities around the ruck fringes. That focus paid off as missed Drua tackles and poor positioning left gaps, allowing the Waratahs to build a sizeable lead by half-time.
The Drua opted for a kick-and-chase approach in the wet conditions and had some success in territory, but were unable to convert that pressure into scoreboard momentum early on. Mesake Doge burrowed over for a try under the posts before the break to give the home side something to cheer, but it was a case of too little, too late against a Waratahs side that had clearly done its homework.
Openside flanker Kitione Salawa was a standout for the Drua, prolific at the breakdown and influential in defence; he not only made significant tackles and turnovers but also crossed for a second-half try as the home side mounted a fightback. Elia Canakaivata, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre and Temo Mayanavanua also touched down for the Drua after the interval as they pieced together a spirited comeback that narrowed the margin and brought the crowd to life.
Despite that revival — four second-half tries from the Drua — the Waratahs were hungrier and more clinical around the tryline, adding two further scorers in the second half to close out the 50-35 win. The final scoreline underlined the dual story of the day: a Waratahs attack ruthless in exploiting ruck-side weaknesses and a resilient Drua who could not fully convert pressure into consistent scoring in the first half.
The result will be read as confirmation of the Waratahs’ attacking potency even without Sua’ali’i, and as a reminder to the Drua that set-piece discipline and tackling on the fringes will need shoring up if they are to avoid similar blowouts. For home fans who braved the wet night, the game offered flashes of promise from players such as Salawa, Canakaivata and Doge, but the early damage inflicted by the visitors proved decisive.