Hurricanes steal narrow Napier win over hard-hitting Drua

Sunny Napier set the scene for a lung-busting encounter between the Hurricanes and Fijian Drua, with 72 points scored and players left on hands and knees after the final whistle.

A dramatic final 10 minutes saw the Drua steal a slim lead only to lose it a minute later to a try from rising star Harry Godfrey. The 38-34 result was the Hurricanes’ first win of the young season.

The game started with a bang as Cam Roigard broke the Drua line around the ruck, accelerating through a gap and finding Du’Plessis Kirifi for a try just 28 seconds into the contest.

Six minutes later the Drua opened their scoring with crisp back play resulting in a try in the corner to Iliesa Junior Ratuva. both conversions were off the mark.

Just seconds later, a charge-down saw Hugo Plummer go close to scoring but the lock failed to handle the loose ball.

Both sides were eager to play fast, and while an offside penalty afforded the Drua a shot at three points and the lead, it was only a brief respite from the try-scoring festivities as Cam Roigard orchestrated another five-pointer by finding Brayden Iose on his inside who touched down under the posts.

Just as the Hurricanes’ defence looked to be getting the upper hand over the Drua’s phase play, a hard Bailyn Sullivan tackle saw possession stolen by the hosts, only to lose it again before the ball could leave the ruck and the Fijians capitalized with a line break. Two Hurricanes penalties later, the hosts received a warning and then surrendered five points as Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula dummies and flew over the line from close range.

The Hurricanes lost the lead and their captain in quick succession when Kirifi tackled Frank Lomani in the air on the restart and was handed a yellow card.

Heroic defence in one corner from Harry Godfrey and then in the other from Fehi Fineanganofo kept the Drua at bay initially, but things only went from bad to worse for the Hurricanes when Lomani spied a gap beside the ruck and dived over the line. Fresh onto the field for the injured Caleb Delany, Will Tucker was handed a yellow card as a result of more team infringements.

Thankfully for the hosts, it wasn’t long before Kirifi re-entered the game and an inaccurate Drua lineout throw offered them possession. The initial attack went arye, making it look as if the Hurricanes were rattled, but an intercept from Cam Roigard gave the team one last chance to score before halftime.

Attacking from halfway, Harry Godfrey split the defence and was dragged down just shy of the tryline. Kirifi was there to secure possession and Fineanganofo picked up the ball and ran over the line untouched. The conversion brought the Drua lead back to three points as the halftime siren sounded.

While it was Bailyn Sullivan who broke the line to make the first big play of the second half, it was the Drua that were first to get on the board. Four consecutive offloads came from a stretch of picture-perfect Fijian rugby that ended in Isoa Nasilasila crossing the whitewash.

Illegal rolling maul work looked to ruin an opportunity created by a superb 50/22 from Harry Godfrey, but a handling error in the ensuing lineout handed the hosts possession again and Cam Roigard found another gap just big enough for him to get to the line.

The game entered its final quarter with the Drua holding a one-point lead, but powerful runs from Kini Naholo and Cam Roigard got the Hurricanes deep into Drua territory and it was Bailyn Sullivan who, after an afternoon of bruising defence, stepped infield and finished the try to get his side in the lead. The conversion was missed.

Despite poor lineout throwing throughout the game, the Drua backed themselves when the opportunity presented itself for points within the final 10 minutes of the game. A long throw was collected and the inside pass was given, setting Elia Canakaivata on a rampaging run to the try line.

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There were just five minutes remaining when play resumed. The Hurricanes faced a three-point deficit. But, less than a minute after the restart, a wild Du’Plessis Kirifi pass was caught on the fly by Riley Hohepa who broke the line and found Godfrey for the try.

18 lung-busting phases of Fijian Drua attack followed, but it was Peter Lakai who stole the ball at the 19th ruck and cemented the dramatic win for his side. Fulltime score: 38-34.