The Blues have recorded an important bonus point win over the Fijian Drua in Suva to move back into the top six on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder. Photo / SmartFrame
The Blues have recorded an important bonus point win over the Fijian Drua in Suva to move back into the top six on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder. Photo / SmartFrame
Fijian Drua 5
Blues 34
The Blues have continued their late push for a Super Rugby Pacific playoff position, scrapping for a bonus point win over the Fijian Drua in testing Suva conditions.
In a rare night game in Fiji, under conditions similar to a Friday night in Auckland, the visitors made their game plan clear from the start: to keep the ball in the forwards.
The Drua were without their secret weapons: the Fijian sun and hot, sticky weather that has proven to be the undoing of many visiting sides.
After a touching minute of silence for former Fiji rugby international Josaia Raisuqe – who died in a crash in France this week – and a powerful cibi (haka) by the Drua, it was game on.
But it was the Blues that were off to a flying start, with the visitors crashing over in the sixth minute through tight-head prop Marcel Renata on the back of two penalties conceded by the Drua.
The Blues had plenty of opportunities for points in the opening 20 minutes – spending much of that time in the home side’s 22 – but handling errors on wet turf and strong defence from the Drua saw them with only a five-point lead.
The Blues inched their way up the field from halfway to the Drua’s 5m line before a gap opened up, which halfback Taufa Funaki darted through for the visitors’ second try of the night – extending the lead to 12 points after 23 minutes.
Blues midfielder Taufa Funaki scores in Suva.
Photo / SmartFrame
Poor discipline and more handling errors stung the Drua, who failed to gather any sort of momentum for the entire first half. Visiting first five-eighths Beauden Barrett took advantage of a penalty straight in front of the posts to add three more points to the score.
Strong running from the Blues’ forwards saw loosehead prop Josh Fusitua score his first Super Rugby try and the visitors head into the sheds with a 22-0 lead.
The halftime stats painted the picture, the Blues holding 67% of the ball and the Drua giving away six penalties.
The physicality continued as the second half got underway, with replacement prop Angus Ta’avao scoring just minutes after taking the field – the third Blues prop to score for the night.
As was the story of the night, errors from both sides slowed play and it took two clever kicks from Barrett – both of which were recovered by the All Black – for the Blues to score again after the ball was spread wide to winger Cole Forbes in the 67th minute.
Down 34 points with 10 minutes to play, the Drua were desperate to give their fans something to cheer about in their final home game of the season.
And the crowd found their voice after a line break from Mesake Vocevoce, before the ball was recycled to superstar fullback Selestino Ravutaumada who dotted down in the corner after taking on three Blues defenders.
A consolation try, but all too late for the last-placed Drua, who now have no chance of making it to their third consecutive playoff.
The bonus-point win sees the Blues move back into the playoff picture, with fifth place on the points table.
If they want a shot at defending their title, they’ll need to come up trumps against Moana Pasifika and the Waratahs in their final two games of the season.
