Match Report: Drought Broken in Fiji
A hot and humid day in Suva set the scene for a battle against the Fijian Drua.
The Crusaders looked to turn their fate around with a win – something they have never done against the Drua on their home soil. They ran out in a new-look white jersey – the first time a jersey has been created specifically for Fiji – gifted to us by brand partner Fiji Airways.
Fiji kicked off and the Crusaders made their intentions clear from the beginning.
Taha Kemara kicked it to the corner from the Crusaders half for a 50-22.
The ball was sent from the rolling maul out wide, and Will Jordan had a go at the line before being taken down, but play was sent back, and the Crusaders awarded a penalty after Fiji collapsed at the maul.
Another lineout for the Crusaders gave them a good look at the try line. The ball was sent wide for Will Jordan who was held up, but he managed to spit the ball back to Noah Hotham and he somehow manages to find space to dot down in the corner.
Taha Kemara adds the two points from the sideline to give the visitors a 7-point lead early on.
After 15 minutes of scoreless action, play is paused for a much-needed water break.
The Crusaders re-start with a scrum just outside the 22. Noah Hothan has a good run down the middle to gain some ground. The ball is recycled and sent wide for Antonio Shalfoon to make the most of the overlap and stretch their lead out to 12.
Local legend Chay Fihaki quickly backs up the try with another by receiving the ball out wide and dotting down in front of his friends and family on home soil to make the score 17-0.
The Crusaders are awarded a penalty and opt for the kick; Chay Fihaki drills it from 64m out and well and truly has the distance, but it drifted to the side of the posts to leave the score at 17-nil going into the halftime break.
The Crusaders get things underway in Suva in the second half, and Fiji have a few good opportunities at the try line, but the Crusaders defence is too strong and the Drua keep coming up empty handed despite making some good territory.
The Crusaders extended their lead yet again in the 55th minute as Will Jordan made a breakthrough the defence then popped a kick through for Macca Springer to pick up and score his 8th try of the season.
A conversion from Taha Kemara gave the visitors a 24-point lead.
Time off is called again for another water break.
The Drua get themselves out of trouble inside the Crusaders 22 with a scrum feed that’s sent out and chipped over the Crusaders line of defence for Ponipate Loganimasi to pick it up on the right bounce and get the Drua within 5 meters of the try line, but again they are denied points by the visitors.
The Crusaders then hot on attack inching closer to the line. Ioane Moananu caught the Drua napping down the short side and saw his opportunity to pick and go off the ruck and dot down over the line.
The Crusaders with a 31-0 lead after 65 minutes made it hard for the home side to find a way back.
Until Iosefo Masi put the kick through for Isikeli Rabitu to score and give his home crowd a boost.
A conversion brought the deficit back to 24 points.
The home side go back to back in quick succession as Etonia Waqa gets through a sea of white jerseys to run most of the length of the field to touch down and send the crowd to their feet.
Isaiah Armstrong- Ravula converted the try to bring the score to 14-31, but it was too little too late for the home team as the Crusaders made history and defeated the Drua on FIji soil for the first time.
Captain Codie Taylor is proud of his team for holding on for the full 80 minutes.
“In typical Drua fashion, they never say never, and they hung on right to the end. I’m proud of the boys for how we started and how we built momentum early.
“We knew we had to turn up today and right a few wrongs. We talked about Fiji being one of the hardest places to play in the world, it proved so again today but I’m really proud we got the job done and made a bit of Crusaders history,”
Final score: Crusaders 31 Fijian Drua 14