The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua kicked-off their 2023 Shop n Save Super Rugby Pacific pre season campaign on a high note with a 24-0 win over the Melbourne Rebels at Prince Charles Park in Nadi this afternoon.
The game was played in 4 quarters.
Drua started the game with strong defence preventing the Melbourne Rebels from scoring any points after the Rebels were camping inside the Drua's territory in the first 6 minutes of the game.
Fijian Drua's latest signing and former Suva Grammar School halfback made his appearance 10 minutes into the 2nd quarter, replacing Peni Matawalu and made his presence felt with some great passes off the rucks and marshaling his forwards very well.
In the 15th minute of the 2nd quarter, the Drua started an attack from deep inside their own half which resulted in winger Kalaveti Ravouvou going over the try line but that was later denied after he had a foot in touch.
Both teams went into half time locked at 0-all after a see-saw battle in the first 2 quarters of the game.
Drua started the 3rd quarter strongly with some hard runs and great free flowing rugby that resulted in flanker, Kitione Salawa scoring the first try of the match with Teti Tela adding the extra points to take a 7-0 lead.
The Drua started another impressive attack from their own territory in the 52nd minute of play with replacement Tuidraki Samusamuvodre scoring an unanswered try in the corner to extend the lead to 12-0.
Olympic Gold Medallist, Iosefo Masi extended the Fijian Drua's lead in the 72nd minute to 17-0 with a try in the corner but Kemu Valetini failed to add the extras.
In the 80th minute, Iosefo Masi showed his class making a clean break to set up Drua's No.8 Joe Tamani to score Fiji's fourth and final try with Valetini adding the extras to end the game with a 24-0 win over the Rebels.
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