Hurricanes Maintain Perfect Start with Hard-Fought Win over Drua

Hurricanes Maintain Perfect Start with Hard-Fought Win over Drua

The Wellington Hurricanes extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches in the Super Rugby Pacific competition with a hard-fought 38-15 victory over the Fijian Drua in Suva. Despite conceding three yellow cards in the second half, the Hurricanes maintained their perfect start to the season by outscoring the hosts five tries to two.

The match began with a frenetic pace, with both teams trading early tries. Hurricanes center Billy Proctor capitalized on a loose ball to score the first try, but the Drua responded swiftly with a try from 19-year-old fly-half Isikeli Rabitu.

The Hurricanes gradually asserted their dominance, scoring three unanswered tries before halftime. No. 8 Devan Flanders crashed over from a scrum, center Jordie Barrett crossed after a break by Proctor, and hooker James O’Reilly scored after breaking from a maul.

The Drua fought back in the second half, with flanker Kitione Salawa scoring a try from a driving maul. However, the Hurricanes’ defense held firm despite being reduced to 13 men due to yellow cards for Du’Plessis Kirifi, Isaia Walker-Leawere, and Caleb Delany.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Hurricanes managed to score the final try of the match through prop Xavier Numia. The victory extended the Hurricanes’ lead at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table, while the Drua suffered their first home defeat of the season.

Hurricanes captain Brad Shields praised his team’s character and resilience in overcoming the challenges posed by the Drua and the sin-binnings. “It was a good test of our character. We talk about new challenges and this was definitely one of them,” Shields said. “We didn’t think we would be down to 13, but it shows good character. I’m really proud of our effort.”

Crusaders Stunned by Drua, Equal Worst Start to Super Rugby Season

Crusaders Stunned by Drua, Equal Worst Start to Super Rugby Season

The Canterbury Crusaders’ dismal start to the Super Rugby Pacific season continued on Saturday as they were stunned 20-10 by the Fijian Drua in Lautoka. The seven-time defending champions have now lost their first three matches under new head coach Rob Penney, equaling their worst start to a season since the competition’s inaugural year in 1996.

The Crusaders dominated the opening 20 minutes, taking an early 10-0 lead through a try from Fijian-born winger Sevu Reece. However, the Drua gradually gained momentum and leveled the scores just before halftime with a try from winger Selestino Ravutaumada.

The second half belonged to the Drua, who took control of the game and scored two unanswered tries. Scrum-half Frank Lomani crossed the line early in the half, and fly-half Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula added a late penalty goal to seal the victory.

Captain Scott Barrett admitted that the humid conditions in Fiji played a role in the Crusaders’ error-ridden performance. “We just weren’t sharp and clinical like we’d hope,” he said. “We were clear on our game plan, it was pretty simple, but we just didn’t execute.”

The result piles more pressure on Penney, who replaced Scott Robertson as head coach after Robertson left to coach the New Zealand All Blacks. Penney’s side has now lost to the Waikato Chiefs, New South Wales Waratahs, and Drua in their opening three matches.

Meanwhile, the Wellington Hurricanes remained unbeaten with a 29-21 victory over the Auckland Blues in Wellington. Winger Josh Moorby scored two tries for the Hurricanes, while Kini Naholo and Riley Higgins also crossed the line.

The Western Force joined the Crusaders as the only other winless team after going down 22-19 to the ACT Brumbies in Canberra. The Force led 14-0 but conceded the next 22 points to the Brumbies, who have opened the season with two wins from three games.

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