Brumbies secure historic victory over Fijian Drua in Suva

Fijian Drua 32-26 Brumbies, Suva

In a landmark Super Rugby Pacific match on Saturday, the ACT Brumbies edged out the Fijian Drua with a 36-32 victory at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.

This triumph not only marked a thrilling start to the season but also saw the Brumbies become the first Australian team to secure a win on Fijian soil in Super Rugby history.

The Brumbies set the tone early, with hooker Billy Pollard crossing the try line in the 2nd minute, capitalizing on a well-executed lineout play deep in Drua territory. Fly-half Noah Lolesio added the conversion, giving the visitors an immediate 7-0 lead.

The Drua responded swiftly. In the 15th minute, after a series of strategic phases, scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli exploited a defensive gap to score under the posts. Caleb Muntz's successful conversion leveled the score at 7-7.

However, disciplinary issues soon plagued the Drua. Flanker Isikeli Rabitu received a yellow card in the 18th minute for a high tackle, reducing the home side to 14 men.

The Brumbies capitalized on the numerical advantage almost immediately, with center Ollie Sapsford finishing a swift backline move to score in the corner, though the conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 12-7.

The situation worsened for the Drua when winger Vuate Karawalevu was shown a yellow card in the 23rd minute for a deliberate knockdown, temporarily reducing the team to 13 players. The Brumbies seized this opportunity, and in the 25th minute, scrum-half Ryan Lonergan darted down the blindside from a ruck to touch down, extending the lead to 17-7 after Lolesio's missed conversion.

Despite being down two players, the Drua showcased remarkable resilience. They earned a penalty in the 29th minute, which Muntz duly slotted, narrowing the gap to 17-10.

As they returned to full strength, the momentum shifted. In the 37th minute, debutant center Ponipate Loganimasi intercepted a pass and sprinted 50 meters to score, igniting the home crowd. Muntz's conversion propelled the Drua into a 20-17 lead as the halftime whistle blew.

The second half commenced with the Brumbies eager to reclaim control. In the 49th minute, replacement prop Rhys Van Nek powered over the line following sustained forward pressure. Lolesio's conversion attempt was on target, swinging the advantage back to the visitors at 24-20.

The Drua, undeterred, mounted their own offensive. A strategic territorial kick placed them deep in Brumbies' territory, and in the 54th minute, Karawalevu redeemed his earlier card by finishing a well-orchestrated backline move, diving over in the corner. Muntz's conversion attempt from the sideline was unsuccessful, but the Drua edged ahead 25-24.

The see-saw nature of the match continued. In the 67th minute, Brumbies flanker Luke Reimer showcased his athleticism, breaking through multiple tackles to score under the posts. Substitute kicker Jack Meredith added the extras, pushing the Brumbies ahead 31-25.

The Drua's response was swift. From the kickoff, they regained possession, and after a series of phases, Loganimasi offloaded to Karawalevu, who secured his second try of the match in the 70th minute. Muntz's conversion brought the score to 32-31, setting up a nail-biting finale.