Fijian Drua rock Rebels for historic first victory

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The Fijian Drua made their presence felt in Super Rugby by coming from behind to beat the Melbourne Rebels 31-26 for their first victory in their first home game of the season on Friday.

Trailing 14-0 and a man down to a yellow card in the first half, it looked like it would be a third loss in a row for the Fijians in their inaugural Super Rugby season.

However, the home side turned it on from the 35th minute, punishing a poor Rebels performance by three long-range tries either side of halftime. Replacement flyhalf Teti Tela added four penalties to give the Drua enough of a buffer to see the game out, despite the Rebels scoring a try just after the fulltime hooter.

The win came with a majority of the squad in just their third Super Rugby game, and after two lopsided losses to the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies for the Lennox Heads-based outfit.

“They played like a 15s team – it wasn’t sevens stuff,” former Wallaby Morgan Turinui said on the Dura.

“From the 35th to 79th minute they dominated that game.

“Look at the Kings, Cheetahs, Rebels, Force, Sunwolves; any team that’s entered, nobody’s done it as well as the Drua have.”

For former Springbok Sevens player Kevin Foote and his Rebels team, missing 14 men through injury and suspension, it was the biggest blow of their Super Rugby campaign, condemning them to a 0-3 start.

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Dylan Jack