It was a dream debut for Swire Shipping Fijian Drua winger Taniela Rakuro who on his debut scored the winning try to help his side beat Moana Pasifika 36-34 in the opening round of the Shop and Save Super Rugby Pacific season.
With three minutes to go, the Drua were trailing 34-31 and Rakuro found himself in space on the right wing.
He kept his composure to finish off a beautifully worked move by his team mates and sending the Fijian Drua fans into a frenzy.
This was the perfect start the Drua was looking for in the 2023 season.
Team captain Tevita Ikanivere, who scored two tries in the win, said it was a tough match and he was pleased to have come out with a win.
“Thanks to the Lord Almighty as we held on for the last few minutes. That was a tough match. Moana was at home and to finish at the dying minute to win the game, it’s something special,” the Fijian Drua captain said.
He added the team started on a slower note but began to find their rythem as the game went on.
“I think we took it personally at the start of the first half. Moana was running through us, and we talked about it in the preview leading to the game that they were just going to come from the front door and I think we weren’t physical in the first 15 minutes. But then when we turned the pace up, I think we got the better of them.”
He went to say the law changes in the competition suited his side.
“Yeah, I think the laws have made the game quicker and I think it suits us since we like to play our Fijian style and tempo game.
“I think the boys have adapted well, and we’re going into the second season and a lot of boys are now taking it professionally,” Ikanivere said.
Moana Pasifika captain Christian Lealiifano said it was disappointing to lose after a good start but there was much to take from the game.
“That was a really physical game. It was fun and we started really well. Our (Drua) brothers just got back into that and we’ve learnt our lessons from that. We’ll go away and get better for next week,” the former Wallaby said.
“It’s really important for us to learn from those when you feel like you’ve got a team under control. Switch off for a second and they’ll punish you so learning curve for our young group and we’ll get better from it.”
The Moana Pasifika flyhalf was also in support for the law changes in the competition.
“It’s nice. It creates a lot of tempo. It allows, I guess, the guys to sort of find some space and I can speak on the guys that are a bit tired and fatigued, but really, really cool.
“It puts our game under pressure. It’s nice to have the capacity to be able to do a two sided game one long way, a long way to go on this competition.”
The Moana Pasifika face the Chiefs at 6.05pm next Saturday while the Fijiana Drua take on the Waratahs at 8.35pm later that day.
