Overview
- The Drua, which won 24-14 on Saturday in Ba, earned their first victory over the Highlanders and kept their finals hopes alive.
- Fullback Isikeli Rabitu scored twice before a 61st‑minute yellow card, Elia Canakaivata marked his 50th match with a try, and Virimi Vakatawa crossed for his first in Drua colours.
- The ladder is now crowded as the Drua, Highlanders, and Waratahs sit on 20 points, three behind the Reds, making every bonus point critical for top‑eight qualification.
- A last‑play knock‑on inches from the line cost the Drua a potential bonus point that could have nudged them ahead of the Highlanders on the table.
- The Drua stayed perfect at their new Ba venue, where a loud home crowd and heat troubled the visitors, underscoring the edge Fiji’s hosts gain at their island grounds.