Super Rugby Pacific: Lessons from the Drua and Moana Pasifika round 10 performances

Analysis - There was no other way for the Fijian Drua but win last Saturday's clash against the Waratahs at home.

What used to be a packed Churchill Park was half-empty when the game started in a round 10 match of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition.

Luckily, the side managed to get the 'must win' and hopefully, that will help restore the faith of disappointed fans who had watched the side gone from good to worse in a matter of five weeks.

In the end, the side managed to win 28-24 and keep their slim hopes of qualifying for the top six play-off alive.

The story was not so positive for Moana Pasifika at Pukekohe.

Having fought hard to keep the Brumbies lead at 5-0 after the first 40 minutes, Moana Pasifika lost the plot in the second half, failing to register any points of their own, losing 24-0 in front of their South Auckland fans.

The two teams go head-to-head in an all-Pasifika clash at the North Harbour Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

So, what we can we take out from the two teams' performances last weekend?

1. Take the points inside the 22

Moana Pasifika captain for the day, Sione Havili Talitui was guilty of turning down three kickable opportunities in the first half of their clash against the Brumbies.

Flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini has been a steady points converter since he made his debut for the side in this year's series.

If he was given the opportunity to kick he would have scored nine points, which would have lifted the team's spirits.

In the end the 'Ikale Tahi looseman was left to rue the chances.

"That first half, we looked really good when we got into their 22, we held on to the ball but just didn't get any points," he said at the post-match conference.

It was something head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga also pointed to, especially the fact that the side could not get any points from the nine times they entered the Brumbies 22 metres zone.

"For us, there were opportunities missed. We entered their 22, nine times, and we usually come away with points. For us, that's a learning you know. And we can't take things for granted, and we still have to understand the detail that gives us opportunities like that," he stated.

In Lautoka, the story was different.

Drua stand-in captain Mesulame Dolokoto got flyhalf Isaiah Washington-Ravula kicking for goal at every given opportunity. Even replacement Kemu Valetini had three shots later in the game, two penalty attempts and also a field goal try from outside the Waratahs 22.

Both teams must understand that at this juncture of the Super Rugby Pacific competition any opportunity to claim points in a game is critical.

2. Structure over flair

Great to see both teams finally displaying structured rugby.

That was a hallmark of the Drua's performance against the Waratahs.

It worked in the end, with players sticking to playing their game plan. the forwards taking the ball up to gain the yards, pods set up for second and third phase balls and the backline keeping the ball in hand and using the width of the field.

Yes, there were offloads and slip passes but it was more structured.

Moana Pasifika also displayed the same at Pukekohe and held their D-line for about 55 minutes, before slipping and letting the Brumbies' take control of proceedings.

3. Penalties

Just too many back to back penalties given away saw Moana Pasifika lose control.

Umaga said it is an area they will need to work on now before they meet the Drua at home.

"I can't fault the effort in the heart. I think it was probably one of our best defensive efforts," he said of his warriors' efforts.

"But again, you just can't keep giving them entries into our 22 and think that we're going to stop them every time. And I think a big learning for us is also discipline in certain parts of the field, and on a night like tonight, you know, it becomes a real arm wrestle.

"Like I said, not giving away penalties, our skill sets being strong, you know, because they just went to set pieces when we knocked it on, and then got a penalty, and then ended up inside our half, some big learning for us. But very proud of the effort and the heart that our team showed as always."

His captain Talitui said it was disappointing.

"In the second half we just gave away back to back penalty," he said.

"Brumbies use driving maul as one of their strength and you can't give away penalties like that, as you saw tonight, they scored a couple of points off their maul.

"Probably the disappointing side, you know that first half, our defence was good. First half, we stayed in it, second half, we didn't stay in it."

4. Belief

Both teams have displayed the belief that anything can happen from now on until their last matches in the series.

Umaga said they will regroup and trudge on, righting the wrongs they have identified.

"We'll come together as a group, and just make sure that we stay tight," he said.

"We've still got plenty of games left in this competition. Stay positive, like I said, there's still some really good things that we did. And then look forward.

"We've got the Drua at home again. It doesn't get any easier for us, and we can't dwell too much, but we've got to learn. And that's, that's the big part of what we do."

His Drua counterpart Glen Jackson also understands that to get into the top six they have to keep winning.

His focus was on starting that with the Waratahs last weekend.

Next one up is against Moana Pasifika this weekend.

He said if the side can display the same resilience and relentless effort shown in the past week, nothing would be impossible.

Player of the Match against the Waratahs, flanker Etonia Waqa, told the media after their win, the team believes they can still achieve their target for the year.

"We've been trying for a long time to win, five weeks of back-to-back losses, and we did everything we could to finally win," he said.

5. Enjoyment

There is no denying the fact that Pacific Island athletes perform at their best when they are enjoying themselves.

The smiles while running with the ball in one hand, the high fives after a good scrum or run, and the celebrations after a well-deserved try.

It all helps in ensuring players are in the right mindset at every game.

If both the Drua and Moana Pasifika players can remember that, while getting into the thick and thin of the rugby battles on the field, it will show for them in the end.

The late Fijian champion sevens rugby coach, Ratu Kitione Vesikula, once said, Fijian rugby players are at their best when they are smiling and enjoying what they do on the rugby field.

This weekend will be an interesting battle, and a lot will depend on how much the two teams have learned from their past performance, and how best they can put those into action over their 80 minutes battle.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.