Fiji has claimed their first-ever victory over the NSW Waratahs, winning 39-36 in a Golden Point thriller at Churchill Park.
NSW ran out to sunny 27-degree conditions and started the match well, hitting the front in the third minute of play after a try to Mahe Vailanu. A well-constructed line-out win saw Charlie Gamble slip around the blindside to send the dynamic hooker over.
Flyhalf Tane Edmed converted Vailanu’s try then added another penalty goal in the eighth minute for good measure to give the Waratahs an early 10-nil lead.
But Fiji managed to steady the tide and turned around the battle for field position. The Drua capitalised on their prime attacking territory through evasive outside centre Iosefo Masi in the 14th minute.
From here, momentum well and truly shifted.
Five minutes later, experienced halfback Frank Lomani used his guile to collect a short line-out throw and score down the right-hand touchline from close range.
Lomani then turned provider in the 28th minute when he dummied, double-pumped, and popped a sublime short ball to Masi who raced over 50 metres to score his second try.
Masi’s brace saw the cheers of the parochial home crowd grow louder, and so too did the Drua’s energy.
Masi then capped off a terrific individual display with a first-half hat-trick in the 33rd minute to stretch the Drua’s lead out to 26-10.
Things then went from bad to worse for the Tahs, as Mark Nawaqanitawase was issued a yellow card on the stroke of half-time for a deliberate knock-down.
The heavens opened up during the half-time break, and the rain started to pour heavily at Churchill Park.
“The end to the first half was very disappointing,” Vailanu said.
“We really let ourselves down towards the end there, but I’m proud of how we fought back in the second half.”
Just as Vailanu said, NSW started the second stanza with renewed vigour, with Charlie Gamble crossing in the 46th minute to hit back for the Tahs. Centres Joey Walton and Izaia Perese combined with offloads in the midfield before finding the tireless openside flanker in support.
Fiji replied swiftly three minutes later, with Tevita Ikanivere powering over with Nawaqanitawase still off the field.
But NSW refused to lie down, and as the rain cleared, Walton stormed onto a short ball from Vailanu following a line-out win. Edmed’s conversion reduced the Tahs’ deficit to just nine points.
A penalty goal to Drua flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula ensued, before Kitione Salawa was issued a yellow card.
The Waratahs then capitalised on their one-man advantage with Vailanu muscling his way over for his second try in the 65th minute and Lachlan Swinton following suit four minutes later. Edmed’s conversion locked up scores at 36-all and sent the match into Golden Point.
Following a Triston Reilly break, Edmed’s drop-goal attempt agonisingly hit the uprights and back into the field of play.
In heartbreaking circumstances for the Tahs, Kemu Valetini then snapped a long-range drop-goal to clinch a 39-36 victory for Fiji.
“That loss hurts, but I’m happy with the effort we showed to fight our way back into the contest in the second half,” Captain Jake Gordon said.
“The last three weeks we’ve been in the fight and matched our opposition right until the very end but have gone down narrowly on each occasion.
“We need to find ways to win the game.”
"We shoot ourselves in the foot at crucial times," added Head Coach Darren Coleman.
Fijian Drua 39
Tries: Iosefo Masi 3, Frank Lomani, Tevita Ikanivere
Goals: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 4/5
Penalty Goals: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 1/1
Field Goals: Kemu Valetini 1/1
NSW Waratahs 36
Tries: Mahe Vailanu 2, Charlie Gamble, Joey Walton, Lachlan Swinton
Goals: Tane Edmed 4/5
Penalty Goals: Tane Edmed 1/1
Field Goals: Tane Edmed 0/1
