RECAP: Jorgensen magic inspires NSW Waratahs home against Fijian Drua

Fri, Feb 20, 2026, 10:03 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

RECAP: The NSW Waratahs have kicked clear for a 36-13 lead over the Fijian Drua in Sydney.

Max Jorgensen delivered his trademark magic, scoring a delightful individual effort to give the hosts the lead at the break.

Watch every second of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season live and on demand via Stan Sport.

From here, it was the Waratahs' impact players who ran away with the win and the bonus point.

Debutant Ioane Moananu celebrated his first game in sky blue with a double, with Jorgensen sealing the win with his second.

The win sends the Waratahs into the bye on top of the ladder for now, before facing the Hurricanes in a fortnight.

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80": Jorgensen seals it

Waratahs 36-13: Max Jorgensen seals the win with his second to send the crowd home happy.

Jack Debreczeni puts it on a platter with the cross-field kick and the winger eases over the line.

77': Drua still fighting

Waratahs 31-13: The Drua will keep fighting and hunting for points but execution is their worse enemy.

They get a rare chance inside the Waratahs' 22 with a penalty and put the kick for touch out on the full.

Another chance with a rolling maul is shut down by Angus Blyth as the Waratahs are crusing home.

72': Moananu's second seals it

Waratahs 31-13: Ioane Moananu's second will all but seal it for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs back their rolling maul and it delivers for the ex-Crusader to score his second.

69': Waratahs hunting for game-winner

Waratahs 26-13: The Waratahs are hunting for another try as they turn down three for a lineout.

A trick ball doesn't work but it deflects off a Fijian and into touch, with a Drua knock-on presenting another chance for the Tahs to work.

65': Drua holding on

Waratahs 26-13: The Fijian Drua are staying alive as they deal with a dominant Waratahs scrum.

Another penalty launches the hosts inside the 22, but they get over the ball for the penalty.

They try and throw the ball around, only to see it trickle into touch.

59': Blyth's crucial five-pointer

Waratahs 26-13: Angus Blyth just gets to the line as the wicked bounce goes the way of the Waratahs.

The former Red backs up the smart kick from Jake Gordon that is collected by Leafi Talataina, using all of his frame for the try

54': Waratahs with the momentum

Waratahs 21-13: The Waratahs are with the momentum as they keep the Drua under pressure.

They kick for the line and will back their rolling maul from 15 metres out, with Pete Samu knocking it on just before the line.

50': Ioane on debut dotes down

Waratahs 21-13: The Waratahs roll down the field and it's the debutant Ioane Moananu with the try.

Jake Gordon's quick tap gets them rolling and they power it through the forwards, with the hooker there to salute.

47': Scrum stepping up

Waratahs 14-13: The Waratahs scrum is dominating right now, winning their fourth penalty of the night.

Desperate defence from the Drua forces the error, and they survive.

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has basically emptied the bench.

43': Drua start hot

Waratahs 14-13: Another drop ball from the Waratahs presents the chance for the Drua to build pressure, eventually winning another penalty.

Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula adds three, and the margin is just one.

HALF TIME: WARATAHS 14 - 10 DRUA
40': Jorgensen denied a double

Waratahs 14-10: Max Jorgensen nearly makes it two but the TMO stops the celebrations.

The TMO spies a forward ball from James Hendren after lovely hands put the winger into space.

37': Magic Max does it again

Waratahs 14-10: Max Jorgensen isn't human, that's ridiculous!

Working with a metre of space, Jorgensen steps his man and breaks the defence to somehow stay in and score.

35': Waratahs chance to respond

Drua 10-7: The Waratahs are gifted a chance to answer back as the visitors drop the restart.

They win the resulting scrum penalty and they will park inside the 22 for the time being.

33': Drua hit the front

Drua 10-7: The Drua take a gift opportunity to add three points as Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula nails the kick.

Taniela Rakuro and Max Jorgensen engage in a foot race after Frank Lomani's grubber in-behind, with Jorgensen just doing enough to stop the try.

30': Loose ball chaos

7-all: The Waratahs flip the field as the hosts win the loose ball from the bomb and Harry Potter makes good metres.

But another loose ball proves their undoing as Lawson Creighton drops it 30 metres out.

Max Jorgensen then loses the bomb and now the Drua are on the attack.

25': Drua back to dominance

7-all: The Drua are again dictating action as Zuriel Togiatama breaks clear and combines with his fellow front-rower.

Another quick in behind nearly delivers the try, with the Drua under the penalty advantage kicking for the line and winning another penalty.

The Waratahs hold tough in defence and force the error three metres from the line.

22': Waratahs pressing

7-all: The Waratahs miss a serious chance to restore their lead after missing the man out the back.

It results in a knock on, with the Tahs knocking it on again and forced into a desperate clearing kick when the Drua put one in behind for no-one home.

19': Waratahs nearly hit back

7-all: The Waratahs nearly produce something out of nothing after stealing the lineout.

The ball goes through the hands to James Hendren, who is dumped into touch by the superb scramble defence, helped by a relieving penalty.

17': Drua with the momentum

7-all: The Drua are rolling at the moment as Taniela Rakuro leaps high to win the ball back.

Excellent work keeps the ball alive but it's matched by Charlie Gamble's excellent work at the breakdown for the penalty.

14: Rakuro on the ball

7-all: Taniela Rakuro responds for the Drua as the speedstar salutes in the corner.

Outstanding ball from Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula exposes the overlap, and the winger is too quick to stop.

12': Drua rolling

Waratahs 7-0: The Drua are finding their feet as they put the Waratahs under serious pressure.

Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula chips ahead for Isikeli Rabitu, with Ethan Dobbins there to save the day as he steals the pop pass.

The Drua had penalty advantage and kick for the line

9': Gamble over for opener

Waratahs 7-0: Charlie Gamble dives over for the opener under the posts.

There's been space around the ruck within the Drua's defence and Gamble exposes it, dummying and touching down.

7': Waratahs building pressure

A smart dart from Jake Gordon puts the Waratahs on the attack as they enter the 22 with penalty advantage.

The Waratahs kick for the line, backing their rolling maul, but James Hendren puts the kick dead and it's a 22 drop-out. This drop-out is charged down and the 'Tahs put the Drua into touch.

Madness all around.

4': Tahs defence holds up

A real defensive battle early on as the Fijian Drua can't find a way through the hosts,

12 phases leads to a ill-timed cross-field kick that goes into touch on the full, getting the ball back almost instantly after the Waratahs are pinged for holding on, in which they fail to find touch.

KICK OFF

We're underway in Sydney as Lawson Creighton gets the game underway for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs are running right to left on screen, getting the first chance to attack before dropping it on the halfway.

WARATAHS 36

Tries: Gamble, Jorgensen 2, Moananu 2, Blyth

Cons: Creighton 3/6

DRUA 13

Tries: Rakuro

Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 1/1

Pens: Armstrong-Ravula 2/2


PRE GAME: WELCOME

Welcome to Rugby.com.au's coverage of the NSW Waratahs-Fijian Drua at Allianz Stadium

Conditions are humid but nothing near what the Fijians are used to in Lautoka, as the rain is expected to hold off.

Both teams are unchanged from the team lists released on Wednesday.

NSW WARATAHS v FIJIAN DRUA TEAMS

WARATAHS (1-15): Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins, Dan Botha, Matt Philip (c), Miles Amatosero, Clem Halaholo, Charlie Gamble, Pete Samu, Jake Gordon, Lawson Creighton, Max Jorgensen, Joey Walton, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Harry Potter, James Hendren

Replacements: Ioane Moananu, Isaac Kailea, Siosifa Amone, Angus Blyth, Leafi Talataina, Teddy Wilson, Jack Debreczeni, Triston Reilly

DRUA (1-15): Haereiti Hetet, Zuriel Togiatama, Mesake Doge, Isoa Nasilasila, Temo Mayanavanua (co-c), Joseva Tamani, Motikiai Murray, Elia Canakaivata, Frank Lomani (co-c), Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Taniela Rakuro, Isikeli Rabitu, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, Ponipate Loganimasi, Ilaisa Droasese

Replacements: Kavaia Tagivetaua, Peni Ravai, Samuela Tawake, Mesake Vocevoce, Kitione Salawa, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Inia Tabuavou, Manasa Mataele

Referee: Nic Berry

Assistant Referees: Reuben Keane, Louis Trisley

TMO: Brett Cronan

HOW TO WATCH NSW WARATAHS v FIJIAN DRUA

The Waratahs' clash with the Drua will be shown LIVE on Stan Sport.

Coverage will be live and ad-free on Stan Sport, slated to start at 7:00 pm with kickoff expected at 7:35 pm.

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