Moana Pasifika’s Miracle Faiilagi on attack against the Blues in their Round 12 match at North Harbour Stadium, Auckland. 2 May 2026.
Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
The Fijian Drua defeated the Highlanders for the very first time in the history of the Super Rugby Pacific competition last Saturday.
A tough battle in Ba but they managed to get there in the end, showing some promise in that they were consistent for around 60 minutes of the game.
While they went too loose in the last 15 minutes, they had done the job before then.
Co-captain Temo Mayanavanua pointed to the team bond and staying united for the cause.
He also paid tribute to the loyal fans who turned up and packed the 4R Electrical Stadium on the day.
Ba Town, once known as a football crazy township, came alive early on Saturday morning, as fans flocked to the ground.
By mid-day it was almost capacity-filled at the former Govind Park.
And the fans were not disappointed as the Drua reciprocated, winning their second game at their third home venue, where they had also defeated the Brumbies in an earlier game.
Highlanders Fijian Timoci Tavatavanawai said his side just made too many errors, although they had managed time and time again to get into the Drua’s 22 metre zone.
The former Queen Victoria School scholar said errors are what they will need to reduce going forward.
Out in North Harbour though, the opposite happened.
Moana Pasifika were in the game after they trailed the Blues 14-12 at halftime.
But coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga said post-match they did not continue that momentum in the second half as the Vern Cotter-coached Blues upped the tempo and went try searching at every opportunity.
In the end, Moana Pasifika were left second best again for the 11th time this season, with only one win in the bag from their campaign so far in 2026.
Umaga said the team tried their best but they just could not put their pieces together.
He acknowledged that they had managed to start well but failed yet again to finish off when it mattered.
Obviously, the side are under alot of pressure off the field, something Umaga says is taking its toll on players.
The uncertainty of whether they will still be around in 2027 is a major factor.
Now, with the win the Drua have climbed into eighth position with 20 points to their name but still five points below the Brumbies who are sitting sixth on the points table.
Highlanders still stay seventh, with a better points advantage over the Drua, and it will be interesting to see how the two teams perform in their last matches, both with outside chances of making the top six playoff.
So what are some takeaways from the two teams’ performances last weekend?
1. On the right track
The Fijian Drua finally appear to be on the right track after a disappointing round in Christchurch against the Chiefs on ANZAC weekend.
Having defeated the Brumbies in Canberra for the first time three weekends ago, the drop against the Chiefs rang some urgency for the team, with head coach Gllen Jackson adding they needed to repay their loyal fans in Ba.
The winning mindset has been effectively instilled in the group, however, the next step is critical, with team selection after their bye weekend critical.
Isikeli Rabitu seems to be the best choice now for 15, after Ilaisa Droasese’s performances have been under the radar now for some time.
Veteran Virimi Vakatawa, who scored a try on Saturday, is a definite now in midfield, and the fact that there are some genuine choices outside him is a plus for the Drua.
They have also shown that their forward pack can match any pack in the competition but they just need to work on lineout consistency, which was a troublesome area against the Highanders, after they lost at least four throws.
It was also promising to see the loose trio also getting their fair share of wins in the battle for possession.
Jackson has said a few times that he believes the side can compete and beat any team in the competition if their mind is right and they do the basics right.
Time now for them to just being consistent, week in, week out.
A bye this week is timely before they take on the Waratahs at home in Suva in their next match.
For Moana Pasifika, the off the field pressure is evident, no matter how hard the players have tried to conceal that.
Their forward pack have been able to dominate when they wanted and that is testimony to the hard work they have put into their game.
2. Self-belief critical
Coaches know that teams can only perform to expectation if players have the self-belief.
Belief in being able to perform to the standard needed is critical.
Belief that they can compete against the other teams in the competition and beat them at their own games is important.
Believing in each other on the field is a must.
3. Defence
D – the magical formula to winning any team game is to be strong defensively. Drua showed that in the last quarter of their game when they were one-man down. It paid off in the end.
Moana Pasifika did that for 40 minutes against the Blues, but faltered in the second half.
There is no questioning the ability of players in both teams with ball in hand and the magic they can show.
But it’s the D that matters because if you allow the opposition the space to run every time they have ball in hand then you will eventually end up second best.
4. Cutting out errors
Time and time again both the Drua and Moana Pasifika have fallen victim to this. Errors cause defeats, puts pressure on teams and force you to work double harder.
5. Loyal fans
No matter the results, both teams have enjoyed loyal fans who have stuck with them through their highs and lows.
It is a strong reason to go out there and do it – get the wins, put on the performance.
Round 12 results:
- Hurricanes 38 Crusaders 31
- Force 20 Waratahs 17
- Fijian Drua 24 Highlanders 14
- Blues 45 Moana Pasifika 19
- Reds 30 Brumbies 21
Round 13 draws:
Friday 8 May: Crusaders vs Blues (Christchurch); Reds vs Chiefs (Brisbane)
Saturday 9 May: Highlanders vs Waratahs (Dunedin); Moana Pasifika vs Hurricanes (Auckland); Brumbies vs Force (Canberra)
