The Fijian Drua survived a dramatic second-half fightback to edge the Western Force 24–22 in Lautoka, denying Zac Lomax a winning start to his rugby union career and keeping their perfect home record against the visitors intact.
Key moments
9 mins – YELLOW CARD FIJIAN DRUA: Etonia Waqa is sent to the sin bin for a professional foul at the ruck as the Force build pressure deep in the Drua 22. (Fijian Drua 0–0 Western Force)
10 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: The Force capitalise on the man advantage. Jeremy Williams claims the lineout 5m out and the maul edges towards the line before Misinale Epenisa bundles over from close range. Ben Donaldson converts. (Fijian Drua 0–7 Western Force)
20 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The Drua respond in style. The lineout throw goes over the back and Tuidraki Samusamuvodre carries up the middle. Isikeli Basiyalo bursts through before Motikiai Murray gets close to the line and Penaia Cakobau, called up as a late replacement, drives over from close range. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Fijian Drua 7–7 Western Force)
21 mins – DRINKS BREAK: Due to the high temperatures in Lautoka, the match pauses for a drinks break with the scores level.
26 mins – HELD UP WESTERN FORCE: Brandon Paenga-Amosa is denied twice from the rolling maul as the Drua defence holds firm on their own line. The Force lose the ball forward to relieve the pressure.
29 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: A classic Fijian Drua try. Isikeli Rabitu breaks through the line on the left and finds Virimi Vakatawa, who bursts towards the 22 before firing a ball back inside. It bounces up perfectly for Armstrong-Ravula to score. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Fijian Drua 14–7 Western Force)
34 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The Drua are flying. Vakatawa crashes through the defensive line and combines with Samusamuvodre to draw the fullback before putting Rabitu into space to score in the corner. Armstrong-Ravula’s conversion drifts wide. (Fijian Drua 19–7 Western Force)
Half-time: Fijian Drua 19–7 Western Force. The Drua have brought the Lautoka crowd to life with their trademark flair and physicality. After conceding early while down to 14 men, they responded in style with three tries full of enterprise and skill. Armstrong-Ravula has been central to everything, while Rabitu has been dangerous out wide. The Force have had their moments, particularly through the maul, but handling errors at key times have prevented them from capitalising.
43 mins – TRY DISALLOWED WESTERN FORCE: Misinale Epenisa appears to score his second, but the TMO rules he was stopped short of the line. The Force opt for a 5m scrum.
46 mins – TRY DISALLOWED WESTERN FORCE: Vaiolini Ekuasi peels off from the back of the scrum and barges over, but the TMO spots a knock-on at the base. The Force retain possession with another scrum penalty.
48 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: Third time lucky for the Force. Henry Robertson goes right from the scrum and Bayley Kuenzle fires a cut-out ball all the way to Dylan Pietsch on the right edge. He strolls over untouched. Donaldson’s conversion drifts wide. (Fijian Drua 19–12 Western Force)
59 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: The Force close to within two points. The Drua lose the lineout and the Force spin it wide. Kurtley Beale finds George Bridge with a long ball, and Bridge pops it up to captain Jeremy Williams, who dives over in the corner. Donaldson’s conversion misses. (Fijian Drua 19–17 Western Force)
60 mins – DEBUT WESTERN FORCE: Zac Lomax comes on from the bench to make his much-anticipated Super Rugby Pacific debut, replacing Dylan Pietsch.
62 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: Isikeli Basiyalo delivers the killer blow. The Force tap a free kick and swing the ball left, but Beale’s pass is intercepted by Basiyalo, who races 60 metres to score untouched. Armstrong-Ravula hits the right post with the conversion. (Fijian Drua 24–17 Western Force)
70 mins – YELLOW CARD FIJIAN DRUA: Ilaisa Droasese is sent to the sin bin for a cynical foul, holding down Ben Donaldson as the Force counterattacked. The Force find touch 5m out.
71 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: The Force maul proves unstoppable with the man advantage. Nic Dolly throws and Will Harris peels off the back to dive over. Beale’s conversion drifts wide. (Fijian Drua 24–22 Western Force)
78 mins – MISSED PENALTY WESTERN FORCE: Ben Donaldson has the chance to win it from 45 metres out on the angle. The kick drifts right and the Drua survive. (Fijian Drua 24–22 Western Force)
80+3 mins – FULL-TIME: The Force win a penalty and Donaldson finds touch 30m out for one final lineout. Nic Dolly throws but Franco Molina can’t hold it at the top. The Drua scoop up the loose ball and bang it into touch to seal a famous victory.
Full-time: Fijian Drua 24–22 Western Force
Match report
Just days after Cyclone Vaianu lashed parts of Fiji, the Drua gave their supporters something to celebrate with a victory built on trademark flair and late defensive resolve. For the Force, it was another case of what might have been – three second-half tries hauled them back into the contest, but Ben Donaldson’s missed penalty in the 78th minute and a botched lineout after the siren left their finals hopes hanging by a thread.
The visitors started the brighter of the two sides. A sharp counterattack from Mac Grealy and Vaiolini Ekuasi put the Drua on the back foot early, and when flanker Etonia Waqa was shown a yellow card for a professional foul at the ruck in the ninth minute, the Force pounced. Jeremy Williams claimed the lineout 5m out, and after the maul edged towards the line, tighthead prop Misinale Epenisa burrowed over from close range. Donaldson converted to give the visitors a 7–0 lead.
The Drua might have been rattled, but they responded in emphatic fashion. Still down to 14 men, they won an overthrown lineout and Tuidraki Samusamuvodre carried hard up the middle. Isikeli Basiyalo burst through a gap before Motikiai Murray got close to the line, and Penaia Cakobau – called up as a late replacement for the injured Haereiti Hetet – drove over from close range. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula converted to level the scores.
The pattern of the first half was set. The Force had their moments, with Brandon Paenga-Amosa held up twice from the rolling maul, but the Drua’s attacking intent was proving the difference. In the 29th minute, they produced a classic try. Isikeli Rabitu broke through the line on the left and found Virimi Vakatawa, who burst towards the 22 before firing a ball back inside. It bounced up perfectly for Armstrong-Ravula to score a try of the highest quality.
Five minutes later, the Drua struck again. Vakatawa crashed through the defensive line and combined with Samusamuvodre to draw the fullback before putting Rabitu into space to score in the corner. Armstrong-Ravula’s conversion drifted wide, but at 19–7 the hosts were in command.
The Force needed a fast start to the second half, and they got one – eventually. Epenisa and Ekuasi both came close to scoring early on, with two tries ruled out by the TMO for knockdowns at the base of the scrum. On the third attempt, the visitors finally got their reward. Henry Robertson went right from the scrum and Bayley Kuenzle fired a cut-out ball all the way to Dylan Pietsch on the right edge. The winger, in his second game back from a foot injury, strolled over untouched.
The momentum had shifted. Captain Williams reduced the deficit to two points when he powered over in the corner after a lovely long ball from Kurtley Beale found George Bridge, who popped it up for the lock to dive over. At 19–17, the Force sensed an upset.
Then came the moment that changed the game. Lomax, who had come on to much fanfare in the 60th minute, was involved in a promising Force attack when the visitors tapped a free kick and swung the ball left. But Beale’s pass was telegraphed, and Basiyalo – making his own competition debut – read it perfectly. The sevens convert intercepted and raced 60 metres to score untouched, giving the Drua breathing room at 24–17.
The Force refused to lie down. A brilliant break from their own tryline saw Lomax link up with Bridge and Donaldson, and when Ilaisa Droasese was shown a yellow card for cynically holding down Donaldson, the visitors had their chance. Will Harris duly powered over from the back of the lineout maul, but Beale’s conversion drifted wide to leave the score at 24–22.
The drama was far from over. In the 78th minute, Harry Johnson-Holmes produced a huge jackal to give the Force one more chance. Donaldson lined up a penalty from 45 metres out on the angle, but the kick faded right and the Drua survived.
There was still time for one final twist. Williams came up with a crucial steal after the siren, and Donaldson found touch 30m out for what felt like the last throw of the dice. But Nic Dolly’s lineout throw was lost at the top by Franco Molina, and the Drua scooped up the loose ball and banged it into touch to seal a famous victory.
For the Drua, it was a night to remember. Basiyalo finished with 102 metres and a crucial try on debut, while Armstrong-Ravula guided the attack with composure and creativity. The win ends a three-match losing streak and keeps their finals hopes alive heading into next week’s trip to Canberra.
For the Force, it continues a frustrating pattern. Williams was outstanding with 26 metres gained, two turnovers won and a try, while Bridge never stopped working on the wing with 74 metres and three offloads. Lomax registered 40 run metres and two clean breaks in his 20-minute cameo, but a winning debut on foreign soil was always a big ask.
The Force remain winless from three visits to Fiji and sit 10th on the ladder. With finals hopes fading, they will need to produce something special when the Crusaders visit Perth next weekend.
What’s next
The Fijian Drua travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies at GIO Stadium next Saturday. The Western Force return to Perth to host the Crusaders at HBF Park.
Match details
Fijian Drua 24 (Tries: Cakobau, Armstrong-Ravula, Rabitu, Basiyalo; Conversions: Armstrong-Ravula 2/4)
Western Force 22 (Tries: Epenisa, Pietsch, Williams, Harris; Conversions: Donaldson 1/3, Beale 0/1)
Half-time: 19–7
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Damon Murphy (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Jordan Way, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie
Teams
Fijian Drua: 15 Isikeli Rabitu, 14 Isikeli Basiyalo, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (co-c), 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 11 Ilaisa Droasese, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Joseva Tamani, 4 Isoa Nasilasila (co-c), 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Penaia Cakobau.
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Samuela Tawake, 19 Isoa Tuwai, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Vilive Miramira, 23 Manasa Mataele.
Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 George Bridge, 13 Hamish Stewart, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Jack Daly, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Jeremy Williams (c), 4 Franco Molina, 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Zac Lomax.
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