NSW Waratahs have given Fijian Drua a torrid Super Rugby Pacific debut, claiming their first win in 18 months with a 40-10 thrashing at Sydney.
Drua, one of two Pasifika expansion sides joining Australia and New Zealand teams in the 12-team competition, came into the match with great expectations, after upsetting Melbourne Rebels in a trial match.
But they were quickly dismantled by a disciplined Waratahs side at Western Sydney Stadium, conceding five tries to one in a deflating display for Fijians in the crowd.
Will Harris, David Porecki, Lalakai Foketi, Angus Bell and Jake Gordon scored the tries for the Waratahs, with Ben Donaldson slotting three penalties and racking up 15 points off the tee.
Baden Kerr scored Drua's first points in the competition with a first-half penalty, but the Fijian side had to wait more than an hour for their opening try, before Nemani Nagusa barged over from a few metres short of the line.
"It's been a long time since we put in a performance like that," says Waratahs captain Jake Gordon. "It's been a long preseason, and it's good to see the guys reflect that in their hard work and put in a good performance like that against a challenging Fiji team."
The heavy defeat underlined the challenge ahead for the Drua and the other expansion side, Moana Pasifika, whose debut against the Blues was delayed by a COVID-19 outbreak in their Queenstown bubble.
The Waratahs were the worst-performing Australian team last year, losing 13 matches in a winless season.
Reuters
