Moana Pasifika v Fijian Drua
Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday 26 April
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
They're calling it the Battle of the Pacific, but there's certainly a ton of mutual respect between the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika. Both sides are the new boys in Super Rugby Pacific, and while the season hasn't been fantastic in terms of placement on the table, both have given their fans plenty to cheer about so far.
Moana are looking to bounce back from their poorest performance of the year last weekend, when they were blanked 24-0 by the Brumbies. The Drua managed to gain their second win of the season when they beat the Waratahs 28-14 in Lautoka.
Team lists
Moana Pasifika: 1. Tito Tuipulotu, 2. Millennium Sanerivi, 3. Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou, 4. Tom Savage, 5. Samuel Slade, 6. Miracle Faiilagi, 7. Ardie Savea (c), 8. Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, 9. Jonathan Taumateine, 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11. Fine Inisi, 12. Danny Toala, 13. Lalomilo Lalomilo, 14. Tevita Ofa, 15. William Havili
Bench: 16. Tomasi Maka, 17. Monu Moli, 18. Chris Apoua, 19. Allan Craig, 20. Sione Havili Talitui, 21. Melani Matavao, 22. Patrick Pellegrini, 23. Julian Savea
Fijian Drua: 1. Peni Ravai, 2. Mesulame Dolokoto (c), 3. Samu Tawake, 4. Isoa Nasilasila, 5. Leone Rotuisolia, 6. Etonia Waqa, 7. Motikiai Murray, 8. Kitione Salawa, 9. Simione Kuruvoli, 10. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 11. Ponipate Longanimasi, 12. Isikeli Rabitu, 13. Inia Tabuavou, 14. Taniela Rakuro, 15. Vuate Karawalevu
Bench: 16. Tevita Ikanivere, 17. Meli Tuni, 18. Mesake Doge, 19. Mesake Vocevoce, 20. Elia Canakaivata, 21. Leone Nawai, 22. Kemu Valetini, 23. Selestino Ravutaumada
Moana selections
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2022
The big news is that Ardie Savea is back, as much as they probably don't want to admit it, Moana certainly are a different team with him in it. Fine Inisi starts on the left wing but the main backline selection is Jackson Garden-Bachop at first five ahead of Patrick Pellegrini, with coach Tana Umaga confirming Garden-Bachop will be their first choice at 10 going forward.
Drua selections
Ponipate Loganimasi of Fijian Drua runs with the ball. Photo: Getty Images
Unsurprisingly there's not too many changes from last weekend for Glen Jackson's team. Isikeli Rabitu's moved in from the wing to the midfield, opposite the dangerous Ponipate Longanimasi.
Key stats
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa. Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
The Drua have won four of their five games against Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby pacific including a 24-17 win in their most recent encounter, with each of their last four meetings decided by an average margin of just 3.3 points per game.
Moana Pasifika have scored only three tries across their last two Super Rugby Pacific games after scoring at least five tries each of their previous seven games in the competition.
Moana's Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa has scored one try in four of his last six Super Rugby Pacific games and has completed 39/40 tackles across his last four games in the competition.
What they're saying
"Obviously we have both teams that represent the Pacific and both teams play for our people. I understand how important it is for our communities to come together and celebrate the game of footy and how we play it together." - Moana captain Ardie Savea.
"Sometimes a win can just get a little bit of a snowball effect and carry on. We knew the Waratahs was a big game for us and I thought the way the boys handled the last 15 minutes where they had a real good crack at our line and we held them out." - Drua coach Glen Jackson.
The last time they met
Fijian Drua 24 - 17 Moana Pasifika
What was looking like a comfortable victory for the Drua in Lautoka turned into a much closer game than it should've been, with Moana scoring with five minutes to go to draw within a converted try of the lead. Earlier, Selestino Ravutaumada scored a stunner to push the home side ahead, but Moana's stubbornness on defence kept it a close run thing.
What's going to happen
The Drua are the most predictably unpredictable team, in that they will try and run it from everywhere and there's not much you can do about it if they find a bit of space. In saying that, Moana's defence has been a lot better in recent weeks - even against the Brumbies when two of the four tries conceded were lineout drives. It's likely that both sides will be looking to play up tempo games, so it's just a matter of who can finish the stronger.
