The Waratahs delivered their best performance of the Super Rugby season without star centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in a 50-35 victory over Fijian Drua in Suva.
Two months after injuring his hamstring in a warm-up against the Hurricanes, Suaalii reported tightness in the same area before facing the Drua on Saturday. The Waratahs said his omission was precautionary.
Triston Reilly was switched to outside centre for Suaalii, with Sid Harvey promoted from the bench to start on the wing. The injury setback had little impact on the result as the Waratahs recorded their fifth win from 12 starts. A first appearance in the Super Rugby finals since 2022 also remains mathematically possible for NSW.
NSW did withstand a Drua comeback after leading by 36 points at the start of the second half. The Waratahs collected a bonus point and played with a calmness and confidence that had been missing most of the season.
The Waratahs were also missing Wallabies Pete Samu, Angus Blyth, Andrew Kellaway due to injury alongside key squad members Ethan Dobbins, Joey Walton and Tom Lambert.
Coach Dan McKellar was left to plug holes in his squad. The chaos could have caused panic; instead the rejigged Waratahs played without fear.
With the Waratahs’ season on the line after three successive defeats, Suva looked one of the worst venues for NSW to revive their season. The Drua had won the last two matches between these sides in Fiji.
The Waratahs scored the first try after five minutes through Harry Potter after a perfectly weighted pop pass from hooker Ioane Moananu following a lineout.
Moananu was then rewarded with his team’s second try after a patient rolling maul, benefiting from the Drua’s ill-discipline. If the Tahs were sticking strictly to a pre-match game plan of structure, the Drua were forcing offloads that were not there.
Max Jorgensen broke an eight-game try-scoring drought when he scored the Waratahs’ third try in the 20th minute. He had scored six tries in his first three Super Rugby games of the season.
The Drua responded immediately through prop Mesaka Doge who burrowed over from short range to keep his team in touch.
Off-contract playmaker Jack Bowen got his first start for the Waratahs in his bid to find a new deal. The young half was at the centre of NSW’s best attacking work.
Sid Harvey scored his team’s fourth try after quick hands from Reilly and Jorgensen. NSW halfback Teddy Wilson then crossed after a break from Clem Halaholo to push the lead to 22 points.
Drua fullback Isikeli Rabitu was sin-binned for playing the ball on the ground which left the Fijians defensively exposed. This allowed NSW No.8 Angus Scott-Young to score his team’s sixth try just before half-time.
Moanunu, scored his second try to open the second half, his fifth try in just six games for the Waratahs this season after joining from the Crusaders.
The Drua were always going to respond when they were able to keep the ball in their hands and two tries from Elia Canakaivata and Kitione Salawa added some polish to a scoreboard that was in danger of running away.
The Waratahs replacement prop Apolosi Ranawai was back at home in Fiji and scored a try in front of over 100 close family and friends in the crowd wearing customised t-shirts with his face on them. It was one of those games – not even two late Drua tries through Tuidraki Samusamuvodre and Temo Mayanavanua could stop the Waratahs’ smiles.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
