The Fijian Drua claimed their first-ever victory over the ACT Brumbies with a commanding 42–27 triumph at Govind Park in Ba, christening the new venue with a historic five-try performance in challenging conditions.
Key moments
6 mins – PENALTY DRUA: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula opens the scoring and becomes the first Drua player to reach 200 career points for the club. (Drua 3–0 Brumbies)
7 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Hudson Creighton wins the race to a clever grubber from Klayton Thorn after Kye Oates breaks the line. Tane Edmed misses the conversion. (Drua 3–5 Brumbies)
12 mins – TRY DRUA: Etonia Waqa finishes a stunning team try, palming off Tane Edmed after Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula’s cross-kick found Ponipate Loganimasi. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Drua 10–5 Brumbies)
19 mins – YELLOW CARD DRUA: Mesake Doge is sent to the sin bin for repeated team infringements after the Brumbies camp inside the 22.
26 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Toby Macpherson crashes over after sustained pressure, with Elia Canakaivata also shown yellow for repeated infringements. Edmed converts. (Drua 10–12 Brumbies)
28 mins – PENALTY DRUA: Armstrong-Ravula restores the lead from 44 metres to edge the Drua back in front. (Drua 13–12 Brumbies)
37 mins – TRY DRUA: Elia Canakaivata crashes over from close range immediately after returning from the sin bin. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Drua 20–12 Brumbies)
Half-time: Drua 20–12 Brumbies. The Drua cope better with the heat and their own ill-discipline, holding firm despite spending lengthy periods with 14 men. Motikiai Murray impresses across the park while the Brumbies struggle for accuracy inside the 22.
45 mins – TRY DRUA: Sairusi Ravudi peels off the driving maul to score on debut as the rain begins to fall. Armstrong-Ravula misses. (Drua 25–12 Brumbies)
52 mins – TRY DRUA: Iliasia Droasese shows stunning athleticism to dive over in the corner after Joji Nasova’s offload from Armstrong-Ravula’s cross-kick. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Drua 32–12 Brumbies)
55 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Toby Macpherson benefits from a fortunate bounce as the ball spills from a held-up maul, the lock reacting quickest to claim his second. Ryan Lonergan misses. (Drua 32–17 Brumbies)
59 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Ryan Lonergan and Hudson Creighton combine brilliantly down the short side, exchanging passes before Lonergan rides a tackle to score. Lonergan misses. (Drua 32–22 Brumbies)
68 mins – PENALTY DRUA: Armstrong-Ravula slots from 30 metres to steady the ship and push the lead beyond two converted tries. (Drua 35–22 Brumbies)
71 mins – TRY DRUA: Iliasia Droasese completes his double after Tuidraki Samusamuvodre’s chip and chase, regathering to offload for the fullback to score beside the posts. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Drua 42–22 Brumbies)
80 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Andy Muirhead crosses for a consolation in the corner after Ryan Lonergan’s cut-out pass. Lonergan hits the post with the conversion. (Drua 42–27 Brumbies)
Full-time: Fijian Drua 42–27 Brumbies
Match report
It was party time in Ba as the Fijian Drua created history with their first victory over the Brumbies in seven meetings since 2022. Backed by more than 13,000 fans — including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka — the hosts christened Govind Park with a performance that showcased everything that makes them so dangerous at home.
The Drua’s second win against a top-two opponent this season, following their defeat of the ladder-leading Hurricanes in February, underlined their status as genuine contenders when playing in Fiji. For the Brumbies, it was a second consecutive defeat after their heartbreaking last-gasp loss to the Queensland Reds, leaving coach Stephen Larkham’s men searching for answers.
Larkham had made 10 changes to his squad due to player management protocols and injuries, and his heavily-rotated team not only had to battle a lively Drua fresh from a bye, but also the sultry conditions that engulfed the stadium. The temperature sat at 31 degrees at kick-off before a light drizzle at the break gave way to torrential rain in the second half.
Despite the Drua’s early dominance, it was Hudson Creighton who crossed first. Kye Oates slipped through the defence before finding Klayton Thorn, who grubbered perfectly for the diving winger to claim the opening try. But the Drua responded immediately when flanker Etonia Waqa stormed down the right side, palming off Tane Edmed after Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula’s cross-kick had found Ponipate Loganimasi. It was the Drua at their electric best.
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The hosts’ ill-discipline threatened to derail their momentum. Prop Mesake Doge was shown yellow for repeated team infringements as the Brumbies camped inside the 22, and Toby Macpherson eventually crashed over in the 26th minute to give the visitors the lead. Moments later, No 8 Elia Canakaivata joined his teammate in the sin bin for the same offence, leaving the Drua down to 13 men.
Remarkably, the home side weathered the storm. Armstrong-Ravula — who became the first Drua player to reach 200 career points — slotted a 44-metre penalty to restore the lead, and Canakaivata made amends immediately upon his return by crashing over from close range. The Drua headed to the sheds with a 20–12 advantage despite spending lengthy periods undermanned.
The second half belonged to the hosts. As the rain thundered down, debutant hooker Sairusi Ravudi peeled off the driving maul to extend the lead within minutes of the restart. Then came the moment of the match — Armstrong-Ravula’s pinpoint cross-kick found Joji Nasova, who offloaded brilliantly for a flying Iliasia Droasese to dive over in the corner. The 20-point deficit had the Brumbies reeling.
To their credit, the visitors refused to surrender. Macpherson claimed his second after a fortunate bounce from a held-up maul, and Ryan Lonergan combined brilliantly with Creighton down the short side to cut the margin to 10 points. Suddenly the comeback was on.
But Armstrong-Ravula steadied the ship with a crucial penalty before Droasese completed his double. Centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre produced a delightful chip and chase, regathering to offload for his fullback to score beside the posts. Andy Muirhead’s consolation in the dying seconds was too little, too late.
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For the Brumbies, there were silver linings. The 21-year-old Macpherson impressed with a double in his first start, while captain Muirhead ran for 127 metres. Wallabies star Rob Valetini made 17 tackles and carried for 44 metres in a typically busy display, but had to cop a loss in his 100th Super Rugby match.
The Drua’s loose forwards were immense throughout, with Motikiai Murray popping up all over the park and Kitione Salawa producing crucial second-half turnovers. Armstrong-Ravula’s 17-point haul from the boot — three penalties and four conversions — proved the difference in a game where both sides scored five tries apiece.
The result leaves the Drua with back-to-back wins as they prepare to host the Reds next week, while the Brumbies return home to face the Chiefs looking to arrest their slide.
Teams
Fijian Drua: 15 Iliasia Droasese, 14 Joji Nasova, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Ponipate Loganimasi, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Frank Lomani (c), 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Sairusi Ravudi, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Isoa Tuwai, 22 Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23 Iosefo Namoce.
Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead (c), 14 Hudson Creighton, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Kye Oates, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Klayton Thorn, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 5 Toby Macpherson, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Darcy Breen, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 Lington Ieli.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Lachie Shaw, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Austin Anderson.
Match details
Fijian Drua 42 (Tries: Waqa, Canakaivata, Ravudi, Droasese 2; Conversions: Armstrong-Ravula 4/5; Penalties: Armstrong-Ravula 3/3)
Brumbies 27 (Tries: Creighton, Macpherson 2, Lonergan, Muirhead; Conversions: Edmed 1/2, Lonergan 0/3)
Half-time: 20–12
Venue: Govind Park, Ba
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
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