Meli Derenalagi of Fijian Drua celebrates with teammates after scoring. Photo / Getty Images
Meli Derenalagi of Fijian Drua celebrates with teammates after scoring. Photo / Getty Images
Fijian Drua 28
Chiefs 24
The Fijian Drua have kept their unbeaten record at Churchill Park, Lautoka, intact while Chiefs’ unbeaten start to Super Rugby Pacific came crashing down like tropical rain.
And rain there was aplenty – fans may have been concerned in the early stages that they were in for a wet weather slog and they were half right, until the second 40 minutes produced a quality of rugby that has given the competition a boost this year.
The Drua could feasibly have been 3-0 rather than the reverse heading into the fixture, their three losses all coming by five points or fewer, their coaching staff should heap praise on their players for holding firm against the table-toppers.
The Drua at times seemed as though they were playing against three opponents in the Sugar City; the Chiefs, the conditions and themselves as their momentum was continuously halted by knock-ons and wayward passes in the first half.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, seemed to understand the assignment that the weather gods set. The tone was set in the third minute when Samisoni Taukei’aho crashed over from close range following a lineout drive to give the visitors an early five-point advantage.
Combined with the torrid conditions, the Chiefs’ swarming defence knocked back the Drua in their early forays toward the Chiefs’ line – eventually resulting in the hosts opting to take a shot at goal in the 22nd minute – which was promptly slotted by Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula to bring the deficit back to just two.
The Drua continued to win the lion’s share of the territory battle, yet more resolute defence and further handling errors meant the Chiefs repelled the onslaught in what turned out to be a front-rower’s paradise of a first half with scrums and lineouts aplenty.
One avenue of success the Drua were able to find was in cross kicks. Armstrong-Ravula put the ball in dangerous areas out wide yet the conditions meant they had to be inch perfect, as there was little chance of a favourable bounce from the sodden turf.
With the Chiefs having spent the majority of the first 25 minutes defending in their own half - a scrum penalty deep in Drua territory gave them a chance to repeat the wet weather essential of lineout and drive.
Repeat they did – the maul from seven metres out collapsing but tight pick and goes from the Chiefs forwards eventually saw No 8 Jimmy Tupou force his way between two defenders and over to score.
Armstrong-Ravula would add another penalty before pushing a second effort wide on the half time hooter to have the Drua still well within striking distance down 12-6 at the break as the rain began to ease.
Wet weather did not prevent the Lautoka faithful from turning out in full voice. Photo / Getty Images
Whatever was said in changing room No 1 at halftime it apparently got through to the Drua - from kickoff their approach was more direct and clinical with decisions made in the best interests of ball security.
An early break from halfback Frank Lomani sent the Fijians deep into Chiefs territory and from there it was the visitors receiving a taste of their own medicine. Tight work around the rucks kept the Drua moving forward until Meli Derenalgi slid in under the posts to take the lead for the hosts.
And then the Chiefs showed why they’re many punters’ favourites to win the competition this year. From relative obscurity, Chiefs winger Leroy Carter drew his defenders from 40 metres out with a strong carry, dropping the ball on to his boot with Anton Lienert-Brown in hot pursuit.
The ball was never going to run long in the damp and the All Blacks midfielder showed tremendous footy IQ to dive early and allow momentum to carry himself and the ball over to score in the left corner and retake the lead 13-17 with more than half an hour to play.
But the Drua were not to be outdone. Back-to-back penalties got them inside Chiefs territory and the forwards went about their duties on the fringes with the same aptitude as earlier in the half.
As the Chiefs forwards were sucked in to the middle under the pressure, the time came for the Fijian flarir to emerge and Armstrong-Ravula did not shy from the chance - his cut-out ball finding the edge runner who batted the ball back inside into the waiting arms of fullback Vuate Karawalevu to score and give the Drua an 18-17 advantage with 20 minutes remaining.
Once the flair comes out of the bottle, it can be very difficult to stem the flow.
Chiefs fullback Josh Jacomb can attest to that as he watched his chip kick be gathered by Ponepati Loganimasi who spun past the chasing tackler, returned a chip kick of his own, grubbered said chip into the in-goal and flopped onto the ball to send the Lautoka crowd into delirium.
With a 25-17 Drua lead and a little over 10 minutes to play, the crowd tossed aside what remaining umbrellas were still up and resumed their duties as the 16th player in full voice.
The Drua then camped themselves inside the Chiefs half and ground their big men down, eventually winning a penalty that was drilled through the sticks.
The Chiefs snuck a what could be a vital bonus point through a Tupou Vaa’i try but that did not take the shine off another famous Drua win at Churchill Park.
