WARATAHS SNAP WINLESS STREAK AGAINST NEWCOMERS FIJIAN DRUA IN INAUGURAL SUPER RUGBY...
0Waratahs snap winless streak against newcomers Fijian Drua in inaugural Super Rugby Pacific match
Losers no more. the NSW Waratahs have opened the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific season with a drought breaking 40 10 victory over popular and passionate newcomers Fijian Drua. Key points: This is the first time since 2019 that the Fijian team have been part of the Super Rugby competitionThey'll be joined by newly created side Moana Pasifika. made up of players from Samoa. Tonga. and other Pacific Islands Backing up their impressive unbeaten trial run. the Waratahs ran in five tries to one on Friday night to banish at least some of the bitter memories of last year's humiliating winless campaign. The bonus point triumph snapped a 13 match losing streak stretching 538 days since the Waratahs beat the Melbourne Rebels in their final game of the 2020 Super Rugby AU season. 'It's been a long time since we've put on a performance like that. that we're really proud of.' Waratahs captain and man of the match Jake Gordon said. 'It's been a long pre season. it's good to see the boys put on a performance like that against a challenging Fijian team.' With high hopes of crashing the Waratahs' party. the Drua must have felt right at home in steamy. Suva like conditions before kick off at Parramatta's Western Sydney Stadium as an army of Fijian fans flooded through the gates for the historic encounter. The Fijian fanatics were treated to an emotionally charged performance of Na Bole from the Drua. a spiritual pre game war dance designed to steel the competition debutants for battle. It looked to have done the trick early. The Drua brought physicality to the equation as inspired captain and number eight Nemani Nagusa engaged in a set to with Waratahs hard man Lachie Swinton. As promised. though. the Waratahs were happy to take the first points on offer through the trusty boot of fly half Ben Donaldson. Loading NSW's first try. in the 13th minute. then came through old fashioned pick and drive. with Will Harris burrowing over next to the posts and Donaldson making it 10 0. Donaldson kept the scoreboard ticking over with two more penalties before hooker David Forecki cashed in on a strong Waratahs driving maul. Struggling at set pieces. the Drua's only points of the half came from a Baden Kerr penalty as the home team took a commanding 21 3 lead to the break. If there was any doubt about the Waratahs getting on with the job. they were dispelled barely a minute into the second half when prop Angus Bell offloaded like a playmaker to put Lalakai Foketi over in the corner. Drua number one Jone Koroiduadua had his number called a minute later. yellow carded for a foolish lifting clean out on Porecki to leave the Fijians a man short for 10 minutes. Bell crossed himself when the Drua were a player down before Gordon iced his dazzling display with a runaway intercept effort. Nagusa deservedly had the distinction of scoring the Drua's historic first try in the competition in the 62nd minute. But his side. while spirited. was never a match for the Waratahs in their maiden outing at Super Rugby level. AAP
#news