Western Force sunk by Fijian Drua in torrential conditions in Fiji

Halfback Nic White of the Western Force was left to lament the one that got away after witnessing his team throw away a significant numerical lead in a miserable 31–13 defeat to Fijian Drua.

In the rain-soaked Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday, the Force led Super Rugby Pacific by a man up for a total of thirty minutes.

 

Nevertheless, the Force lost their sixth game of the season as a result of being outscored 20-8 throughout those periods, failing to make Drua pay.

Their aspirations of making the finals are now in jeopardy due to the loss, which occurred only one week after the Force (1-5) shocked the Queensland Reds 40-31.

 

According to White, “this will feel like the one we look back on, the one that got away from us.”

 

They simply outperformed us in these circumstances.

 

Although there were several opportunities, we were unable to take advantage of them. It will be painful to look at.

 

In order to get used to the heat, the Force traveled to Fiji a few days ahead of the match, but on match day, they were met with intense rain and an extremely wet field.

However, the Drua took control of the game by scoring the next eighteen points.

 

The hosts played their typical rushing rugby in spite of the slick conditions, and it frequently paid off handsomely.

 

After 12 minutes, winger Epeli Momo barely managed to dive in for a try in the corner, and five minutes later, they crossed again, showcasing the finest of Fijian rugby.

 

After being given a penalty, Drua halfback Frank Lomani took the Force defenders by surprise with a fast tap and break, instead of kicking for touch, and then passed the ball to winger Selestino Ravutaumada.

 

Drua No. 8 After a shoulder charge in the 21st minute, Elia Canakaivata was given a yellow card. However, the home team still scored two penalties to increase their lead to 18–5.

 

At the end of the first half, Fijian hooker Tevita Ikanivere received a yellow card for a risky cleanout. The Force capitalized on this opportunity, as winger Chase Tiatia scored in the corner to cut the lead to 18-10 at the intermission.

 

During halftime, Ikanivere’s yellow card was upgraded to a red one, leaving Drua with just 14 players for the first eighteen minutes of the second half.

However, Drua once more made a mockery of their numerical disadvantage as center Iosefo Masi raced onto a kick forward that five-eighth Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula dribbled and touched down.

In the 57th minute, Armstrong-Ravula gave his team two more penalties although they were still down a player, increasing Drua’s lead to 31-13.

Force coach Simon Cron stated, “It was heavy conditions, but when we got here we knew that might happen.”

“We had a plan in place, but we didn’t really follow through on it.

And that’s much too many missed tackles—36.

“We have to address that because if you miss 36, you won’t win the game.”

Harry Potter, the fullback for the Force, had a concussion during the first half.

With a 15-meter rolling maul, hooker Tom Horton gave the visitors the early try in the second minute.

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