Against all odds, and down two men for the nail-biting final 15 minutes, Tana Umaga’s squad pulled off a rugby miracle, thwarting the Drua’s ferocious comeback from a 24-point deficit. It was a spectacle of heart, hustle, and high drama that had the crowd roaring.
The match, a 10-try extravaganza, nearly saw Moana’s heroes Sekope Kepu and Christian Lealiifano turn into the villains of the piece in the final frenzied moments. Kepu found himself sin-binned in a controversial call for offside, while Lealiifano’s misstep gave the Drua a glimmer of hope to turn the tables.
Yet, it was Lealiifano’s boot, with a crucial penalty goal in the 64th minute, that sealed the deal for Moana Pasifika, marking their first-ever triumph over the Drua in a thriller that will be talked about for ages.
The rollercoaster match saw both teams locked at 8-all at halftime, but Moana Pasifika, ignited by the sin-binning of Drua’s Selestino Ravutaumada, exploded with two quick tries to break the deadlock. Despite being reduced to 14 men, Moana stretched their lead, showcasing their never-say-die spirit.
Ravutaumada tried to make amends with a dazzling try, but Moana was relentless, piling on points even as the Drua mounted a late charge to set up a grandstand finish. In the end, Moana Pasifika stood tall, their prayers answered, their joy uncontainable after a match that will go down in Super Rugby lore as an instant classic.
