Blues v Fijian Drua result: Home team shows their class in bonus point win

Caleb Clarke of the Blues, Blues v Fijian Drua, round 7 of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific rugby union competition at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday 28 March 2026. © Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport

Blues 40

Fijian Drua 15

The Blues have won the inaugural contest for the Joeli Vidiri Memorial trophy in an error-laden performance.

Four-straight victory for Vern Cotter’s side keeps the pressure on the Hurricanes at the top of the table, but a fierce Fijian Drua side came close to ending that streak.

This is a Blues team that is finding different ways to win even if they aren’t playing at their best, something teams of the past weren’t always able to do.

There was no big comeback like last week against the Waratahs with the home team having to grind out much of the game, partly due to their own mistakes, but showing their class in the end.

The Auckland team’s tactics seemed clear from early in the game with much of the attacking game coming through the forwards and dominant mauling off lineouts.

The Blues direct and physical style of play gave them an early lead as Malachi Wrampling crossed the try line in the 7^th minute despite it looking as though he might have dropped the ball.

The Drua looked shaky early but really grew into the game and responded with a try of their own from Etonia Waqa in the 17^th minute to tie things up after entering the Blues 22 for the first time in the match.

Handling errors plagued both teams and stifled promising attacks, making it seem as though rain had been falling throughout the contest compared to the pleasant conditions the players and Auckland actually saw.

The Drua let the Blues back in to the lead almost immediately after conceding a penalty off the restart, with another kick to the corner from Barrett and Bradley Slater crossing from a strong maul for his first try of the match.

Both sides continued to let each other off the hook with poor discipline and handling errors, but the Drua’s Iosefo Namoce helped to give his team strong field position.

Payton Spencer, son of former All Black Carlos, looked shaky in his first start for the Blues, fumbling the ball to give the Fijian Drua strong field position which resulted in an unconverted try by Mesake Vocevoce near the end of the first half.

There was no major tactical shift and no improvement in ball handling from either side at the start of the second half, but the Drua were able to pile enough pressure on the home team resulting in them taking the lead through a Valetini penalty.

Momentum started to move in the Blues favour after winning a penalty off a high kick which gave them the chance to kick for the corner and set up a maul again.

They repeated this formula minutes later and Slater scored his second try of the game.

The Drua would have flashes of strong play and did their best to take their first win against the Blues, but the Auckland-based side were clearly on top from about the 50^th minute.

Quick ball movement across the back line helped substitute Codemeru Vai put the ball down in the corner, while an excellent counter attack starting inside the Blues 22 from a Che Clarke turnover led to a Finlay Christie grubber and Payton Spencer touching the ball down with no one near him.

Caleb Clarke sealed the game for the Blues right at the end of the game with some more quick play across the backs and gave his team the bonus point victory.

Blues 40 (Wrampling, Slater 2, Vai, Spencer, Clarke tries; Barrett 5 cons)

Fijian Drua 15 (Waqa, Vocevoce tries; Valetini con, pen)

HT: 14-12