Friday, March 29, 2024
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Masi hat-tricks in Drua’s win

Blockbusting centre Iosefo Masi scored a hat-trick of tries in Swire Shipping Fijian Drua’s narrow 47-46 victory over Moana Pasifika in the Shop N Save Round 14 match at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday.

The win has slightly bettered Drua’s chance to be in the Top 8 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition with a crucial match remaining against the Queensland Reds next week.

Nippy fly-half Teti Tela got the match underway with a high kick-off to the right but it was knocked back by Moana forwards.

Moana worked through six passes before William Havili found space down the right and flicked a pass to Fine Inisi who took it into the 22-metre line and returned the pass back to Havili as he went airborne to score in the corner in the 5th minute.

Christian Lealiifano converted from the right touchline.

Tela again kicked the restart as Drua tapped it back into touch and Ilaisa Droasese took possession half-way inside the 40 meter mark before Fiji surged up to the five-meter mark and made an error.

Moana received a scrum as Drua produced a huge eight-man shove that blew the Moana pack and skipper Meli Derenalagi picked up a loose ball crashing to score in the 9th minute and Frank Lomani converted to equalise at 7-7.

Three minutes later, cross-kick games prevailed on the field by Tela and Lealiifano which saw Iosefo Masi make a brilliant blockbusting break through the middle of the Moana defense and evade three tackles to score right under the post.

Lomani converted from the front to give Drua a 14-7 lead for the first time in the game.

After a knock-on by Timoci Tavatavanawai, Drua was awarded a scrum 17 meters short of half way where Lomani fired a pass to Selestino Ravutaumada but his side pass was knocked back by Moana who failed to clean up, which Droasese took advantage of, and dotted their third consecutive try.

Lomani slotted the conversion from 10 meter in front of the left touchline in the 18th minute.

Moana re-grouped and made a comeback in the match through prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth, who scored from a rolling maul after rumbling all the way across the line but Lealiifano failed to convert in the 25t minute.

Three minutes later, Droasese spilled the ball backward at the breakdown which was picked up by an unmarked Tolai and he shifted it to Havili, who cut back on an angle and zipped through the hole to score his second try in the match.

This time Lealiifano converted to merge the score line at 21-19.

Drua attempted to maul before they worked it forward through Mesake Doge as he passed it over to speedster Eroni Sau but he was tackled out; however, two phases later, Lomani fired a crisp pass back to Sau and he dived over to score in the corner.

Lomani failed to convert in the 33rd minute.

Minutes before the break, Havili swung it wide to Tima Fainga’anuku as he burst off a tackle and fed the ball to Taefu who then flicked it onto Levi Aumua and he scored out wide but Lealiifano’s conversion failed.

Drua maintained a narrow 26-24 lead at the break.

Early in the second spell, hooker Tevita Ikanivere cleaned a turnover at the breakdown but was penalised for holding on.

Moana received a penalty which Lealiifano brilliantly landed from the 25 meter out for a 27-26 lead before Droasese bagged his second try in the 45th minute after he beautifully collected the spillover by Kalaveti Ravouvou and sliced through the Moana defence to touch under the post.

Lomani booted the conversion for a 33-27 lead.

In the 53rd minute, Masi scored his second after recycling the ball from Ravouvou and sliced through the feeble Moana defence.

Three minutes later, Masi scored his hat trick after hacking an errant flicked pass by Aumua and ran right beside the post to touch down as Lomani converted both for a powerful 47-27 lead.

Moana fought back strongly, scoring two back-to-back tries when Drua was penalised for holding down the ball late and Abraham Pole surged over the try line before Lealiifano dummied his way through to score under the post and added both the conversions.

Drua was reduced to 14 players in the 78th minute after Emosi Tuiqiri was sent to the sin-bin for foul play and Moana received a lineout which was caught by Samiuela Moli and he bulldozed the Drua defence to score however, experienced Lealiifano failed to slot the crucial conversion which could have given them the win.

Fijian Drua: Haereiti Hetet, Tevita Ikanivere, Mesake Doge, Isoa Nasilasila, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Joseva Tamani, Vilive Miramira, Meli Derenalagi (c), Frank Lomani, Tela Tela, Eroni Sau, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Iosefo Masi, Selestino Ravutaumada, Ilaisa Droasese.

Reserves: Zuriel Togiatama, Emosi Tuqiri, Samuela Tawake, Leone Rotuisolia, Elia Canakaivata, Peni Matawalu, Kemu Valetini, Michael Naitokani.

Moana Pasifika: Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Luteru Tolai, Sosefo ‘Apikotoa, Michael Curry, Mike McKee, Penitoa Finau, Alamanda Motuga, Solomone Funaki (c), Jonathan Taumateine, Christian Lealiifano, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Levi Aumua, Fine Inisi, Tima Fainga’anuku, William Havili.

Reserves: Samiuela Moli, Abraham Pole, Chris Apoua, Mahonri Ngakuru, Mircale Faiilagi, Ereatara Enari, Fine Inisi, Jonah Mau’u.

Romeka Romena
Romeka Romena
Journalist | news@fijilive.com

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