The Wrap: Super Rugby once again finds joy and inspiration in Suva

If you’d tried to convince anyone a few years ago that the National Stadium in Suva and Leichhardt Oval in Sydney would be the locations where Super Rugby in 2022 would come alive, you would have received more than a sideways look.

More on the Waratahs’ great victory over the Crusaders later, but what a thrill it was to see 15,000 fans crammed in to witness the historic first home match for the Fijian Drua.

In the end, they were disappointed, their side falling 27-24 to the Highlanders, but they didn’t go home totally empty-handed; the Drua laying on three thrilling tries in a sparkling first half.

Fiji has enjoyed some wonderful Super Rugby moments in the past, but always as hosts to visiting New Zealand sides. There is something different – and quite special – about fans now being able to support their own side, in person.

If the Drua were overburdened by emotion or the weight of expectation, they didn’t show it. But as the match wore on, and the Highlanders found the right tempo and halfbacks Aaron Smith and Folau Fakatava kept them pinned back with judicious kicking, the Drua were unable to impose themselves as they had in the early stages.

They created chances, although it must be said, the Highlanders midfield defence stood up manfully to what was a full-on assault. And, until they develop a more secure lineout, from where they can sustain pressure in the attacking half, the Drua are going to continue to chase their own tail against more seasoned opposition.

Regardless of the outcome, this was one of those days where rugby was the winner.

Marino Mikaele-Tu’u of the Highlanders is tackled by Vinaya Habosi of Fijian Drua. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Undoubtedly, there is Super Rugby fatigue in New Zealand, and lingering indifference in Australia.

But the crowd in Suva provided a lesson that the negativity perhaps comes from a position of privilege and unrealistic expectation, and that if people are able to relax, bring a smile, along with a few family and friends, and simply enjoy the rugby experience without tying themselves in knots over every refereeing decision, Super Rugby – the Pacific version – still has plenty of life left in it.

Recognising they didn’t kick enough for territory last week against the Hurricanes, the Reds spun that 180 degrees against the Chiefs, determined at all costs not to get caught playing football in their own half.

The tactic worked to an extent, the Reds slowing down the Chiefs’ recycle, edging ahead 13-7, but around halftime, things turned decidedly south. Taniela Tupou was lost to a calf injury and Harry Wilson to a yellow card, as the Chiefs scored twice.

The ever-combative Tate McDermott ensured the Reds stayed in the fight, but the visitors got enough mileage from their scrum to stay in front, 27-25 at the siren.

Not everyone was happy with how referee Paul Williams saw things at the scrum; the apparent Chiefs tactic of not keeping things straight drawing the ire of home fans. Another view might be that ‘what goes around comes around’, and it was the Reds getting a taste of their own medicine.

After successive losses, there are plenty of questions to be answered by the Reds’ coaching team, although commentator Drew Mitchell wasted one, asking Brad Thorn at halftime, “Will we see Taniela Tupou again tonight?”

Evidently, Mitchell appeared not to have noticed Tupou being assisted off the field, barely able to walk. Nor did he seem to be aware that players replaced for tactical reasons or injury other than HIA or for blood reasons, are not able to reappear.

Considering how COVID disrupted the Force’s preparation was, the late game on Friday saw a fantastic effort by them come up agonisingly short, 22-18.

The Blues are not the first team to have visited Perth to find themselves hustled and bustled into error and confusion, but even if you know it’s coming, it’s another thing to keep control of your game and play the way you plan to.

The Blues never managed that, and so were dragged into a dogfight not of their choosing. Despite their frustration, they managed to close out the last few minutes maturely, not giving away the cheap penalty or soft try previous versions of the Blues might have done.

The Force will wonder if they shouldn’t have got more out of their final thrust; three and a half minutes after the siren, phase after phase pressuring the try line. Nobody likes to point the finger at a goal-kicker, but in the final wash up, Bayley Kuenzle missing two very kickable conversions was costly.

It’s stating the obvious to say that the Waratahs have come a long way in 12 months, and coach Darren Coleman is rightfully receiving all the plaudits for his team’s progression. In reality, it’s down to a few things; Coleman of course, but also the ground work that was laid in the second half of last season when some attacking fluidity began to re-emerge.

While the backline now has more presence and potency, the biggest factor revolves around how the forward pack is far more combative – not in a bruising Lachie Swinton shoulder kind of way – but in their consistent and genuine graft at the breakdown, mostly via Charlie Gamble, and the hard body and sheer combativeness offered by Jed Holloway.

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

On a night not conducive to fast, open rugby, 17-0 at halftime was potentially a winning lead, as long as the Waratahs didn’t put the cue in the rack. The Crusaders came back – no surprises there – but their own ill-discipline and errors dogged them right through to the end, meaning 24-21 was a fitting result for the home side.

This loss doesn’t make the Crusaders a poor side, however, they have now dropped three matches this season and Scott Robertson may well have to turn his focus away from his surf board, back to insisting on a more hard-nosed, but better disciplined attitude from his players, and better skill execution.

In Melbourne, Moana Pasifika were both direct and the more inventive, but despite hammering big bodies into and through the Rebels all night, too often got things mixed up; sometimes lacking the patience to more clinically finish off attacks, and other times, lacking the ability to generate fast ball, through which to ‘load up’ the pressure on the Rebels’ defence.

Winger Timoci Tavatavanawai was an absolute handful all night, and there is no doubt that Moana Pasifika have the size, right across the park, to compete at this level.

But despite the battering, the Rebels scrambled well enough in defence, including a Gregan/Wilson moment in the second half where flyhalf Carter Gordon, having missed a tackle in the initial attack, recovered and got across in cover in the corner, to knock the ball out of a diving Lincoln McClutchie’s grasp.

Now having recovered his confidence after a horror opening night in Brisbane, Gordon is starting to fulfill his early promise. Notably, of all the ‘young contenders’ emerging at 10 in the Australian franchises, Gordon has the most powerful punt; and nobody needs any reminding of Australian rugby’s kicking deficiencies in recent years.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

With the game in the balance, the home side pulled out some invention of their own; the ball passing through several sets of hands before Andrew Kellaway finished off a thrilling breakout try, the Rebels’ best of the season.

The match ended in bizarre fashion, when Rebels centre Ray Nu’u, in his return from suspension, desperate to shut down Moana Pasifika’s final attack, rushed up and collected Christian Leali’ifano high, and was sent off.

However, granted a final opportunity for a lineout in the attacking 22, McClutchie inexplicably failed to find touch, and the match – which came to life in the second half – was safe for the Rebels, 26-22.

Appearing during the week on The Roar Rugby Podcast, it could have been presumed that the Moana Pasifika brains trust of Aaron Mauger, Sekope Kepu and Henry Time-Stowers would have drawn inspiration from the experience. Despite the podcast being a cracker, unfortunately, it seems only to have served as a jinx.

Tom Banks spoke for everyone yesterday, extolling the virtues of Sunday afternoon rugby, where the Brumbies got over the Hurricanes 42-25, in a highly entertaining affair.

The Hurricanes were their own worst enemy, spilling too much ball in midfield; one of those instances resulting in a smart, heads-up transfer from Scott Sio to Rob Valetini, whose grubber and chase – sandwiched in-between two Hurricanes players – brought the house down.

The Brumbies conceded a soft try to Salesi Rayasi straight after the break, but that served to spark a golden period where the match was effectively put away, with three tries.

The Brumbies now sit second on the ladder, eight points ahead of fifth place. It’s never a good idea to count chickens early in a competition as tough as this, but, at a minimum, a home quarter-final feels like a formality.

Regular readers of this column who delve into the comments section would be aware of the regular contributions of the poster who often used the handle “Jock”. I say often, because for many years now, Jock has been the nemesis of myself and Brett McKay, under a vast range of different user names.

An avowed champion of the tribalism of club rugby, and an avid loather of Super Rugby and all things Rugby Australia, Jock would often post multiple times to the one article, logging out and logging back in again so as to use two or three of his different handles.

I suppose this was to create an impression that his viewpoint was more widely shared, but so unique was his style and language, and so entrenched his point of view, there was never any question that we were dealing with the same person.

A good general rule to follow was to ignore Jock’s posts, but occasionally, perhaps when he’d misrepresent something I’d written, he would succeed at getting under my skin, and a sharp, defensive retort would be fired back.

I’m glad that my last post to Jock last week wasn’t angry or defensive, but an acknowledgement of his perseverance in continuing to take up his fight, no matter how illogical it seemed to me.

On Friday night, I received an email notification from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club, that Jock, a 40-year stalwart of the club, had passed away. In that time, he was a major contributor to the Beasties, across the board, in roles such as player, coach, manager and timekeeper, and was eventually awarded life membership of the club.

One thing about rugby is that the sport generates great passion from those who play and support the game. There is often fierce disagreement over the how and why, but underpinning everything, there is kindred spirit, and a shared love for rugby.

I don’t remember ever agreeing with Jock on a single matter. But one thing I do know is that Jock’s love for and dedication to rugby, was no lesser or greater than mine, or the next man.

Best wishes go out to his family and the Eastern Suburbs club. Rugby has lost a passionate devotee, and The Roar won’t be quite the same without him.