Pasifika Super Rugby battle full of excitement and physicality

The 'battle of the Pacific', in the 11th round of the Super Rugby Pacific at the North Harbour Stadium, had all the ingredients expected of any island rugby battle.

While Moana Pasifika claimed the win with a well-earned 34-15 win after the 80-minute battle, both team captains said the scoreline did not reflect the battle on the field.

Fijian Drua leader Mesulame Dolokoto said the physical battle was instant and consistent, in what was a feature game in round 11 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition.

"It was tough out there, very physical," Dolokoto said.

"We knew Moana Pasifika was going to be tough and physical. We didn't make use of the possession we had and didn't take our chances."

Moana Pasifika skipper, Ardie Savea, stated it was tough all the way through, until the final whistle.

Savea said physicality was always an expectation when Pacific teams battle on the field.

"It was very physical," he said.

"Very tough, the scoreline did not reflect what we going on in the field. There was an arm wrestle all the way."

A sell-out crowd of just over 10,000 packed the North Harbour Stadium grandstand and as the sun came out former All Black and Moana Pasifika utility back Julie Savea led the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika out for the 'battle of the Pacific'.

Savea was playing his 300th first clash rugby game.

It was also the first time the brothers played together in the Moana Pasifika colours.

They had started playing together for their Oriental Rogotai club in Wellington some 20 odd years ago.

Going into the game the Fijian Drua had won four of the team's clashes, since 2022.

Drua won 34-19 in 2022, 36-34 in 2023, 47-46 in 2023 and 24-17 in 2024.

Moana Pasifika won just one, a 39-36 in 2024.

Today's victory was only their second from six matches between the two sides.

Moana Pasifika won the coin toss and opted to run left to right.

As part of the Anzac Day Remembrance program, the teams and fans observed a minute silence to remember those who had given their lives in war.

Then it was Mesulame Dolokoto who led the Drua war challenge or cibi, before Ardie and Moana Pasifika countered with their own version of the Taumoana challenge.

And as Jackson Garden-Machop lined up to kick off the sun came out, breaking dark clouds and overcast skies.

Six tries, three in each halves, gave Moana the bonus win, and pushed them up to seventh spot on the competition points table.

Flanker Miracle Failangi claimed a double, with the other tries coming through Danny Toala, Julian Savea, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa and Tevita Ofa.

Taniela Rakuro and Tevita Ikanivere scored tries for the visitors.

Tease and see

Moana Pasifika led 17-0 at halftime, with three tries to their name.

Coming off a disappointing 24-0 loss to the Brumbies at Pukekohe last weekend, the hosts held on as the Fijian Drua tried a few moves in the first 20 minutes.

It was the centre pairing of Danny Toala and Lalomilo Lalomilo who had the Drua defence in sixes and seven in the 24th minute, the two combining with winger Fine Inisi down the flank.

Lalomilo tried to burst his way through the Drua defence but was brought down a metre from the line, and as he fell to the ground he released the ball to a supporting Toala, who dived over the line to register Moana Pasifika's first points in the game.

Then as the game picked up pace, winger Tevita Ofa kicked into action in the 27th minute and sped down the right flank, in front of the 11,000 odd fans who had packed the stadium grandstand.

His combination with Lalomilo was thwarted by Drua fullback Vuate Karawalevu, who dived over the ball, forcing a kick out from their own tryline.

That saw Moana Pasifika attack again and another drive towards the line saw halfback Jonathan Taumaiteini flick and inside pass to Toala, who unfortunately lost the ball forward as he dived over the line.

With a penalty advantage to them, Moana Pasifika then opted for a lineout, won the ball and drove towards the Drua tryline.

Flanker Miracle Fainalgi finished off the move with a try and as halftime approached in-form number eight Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa finished off a penalty set move, bulldozing his way through the tiring Drua defence.

Captain Ardie Savea featured in those two tries, gaining metres with his driving runs.

The Drua backline could not find their rhythm in the first 40, their moves well read by their opposition.

Halfback Simione Kuruvoli, inside centre Isikeli Rabitu and flyhalf Isaiah Washington-Ravula were closely marked.

Tempo up

The game's tempo lifted in the second half.

The hosts started dominating the set pieces and worked their way slowly to victory.

Failangi dived over from a lineout maul that stopped a metre off the line, taking the pass to brush his way through.

Replacement Ikanivere ran in to score under the crossbar after that, as Drua staged what looked like a desperate comeback.

However, Moana stuck in the game and captain Savea showed his brilliance in the 54th minute mark when he took a pass, chipped over the Drua defence line, collected and outpaced Mesake Vocevoce for the corner, diving to score a try that was later disallowed because of an earlier infringement.

But the inspirational leader was on hand again minutes later, drove his way through the advantage line and set up the ball that went wide to older brother Julian, who crashed over Rakuro to claim his try.

Rakuro responded with his own try minutes later, out-pacing the Moana Pasifika cover defence for the corner.

Then it was winger Ofa who intercepted a Drua passing movement, running almost 50 metres to claim his side's final try.

And as fans watched Ardie led the two teams in a middle of the ground huddle, where they sang Fijian and Tongan hymns together before they closed off with a prayer.

Both captains Dolokoto and Ardie said it was a great closing to a rugby battle that had all the ingredients of a great rugby match.