Waratahs continue Jekyll and Hyde season with Fiji defeat

The NSW Waratahs’ travelling woes have hit a 28-year low with a sapping 28-14 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.

Continuing their Jekyll and Hyde season, the Waratahs followed up a rousing 21-14 victory over the table-topping Chiefs with a demoralising defeat to the last-placed Drua on Saturday.

Unbeaten in five home games, the Waratahs not only remain winless on the road in 2025. Even worse, the Tahs have now suffered nine consecutive away losses for the first time since 1996-97.

Coach Dan McKellar had demanded a shift in mindset and for his charges to front up physically after heavy defeats in New Zealand to the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.

But the NSW coaching staff once again lamented the Waratahs coming off second best in the collision stakes as the Drua enjoyed 66 per cent of first-half possession and 75 per cent territory to seize control at their Churchill Park fortress.

Already resting Wallabies forwards Taniela Tupou, Angus Bell and Rob Leota as part of Rugby Australia’s rotation policy, and still without sidelined skipper Jake Gordon, the Waratahs weren’t helped by losing three more players to injury in the steamy conditions.

Gordon’s deputising scrumhalf Teddy Wilson was replaced at halftime after lock Ben Grant and flanker Charlie Gamble had limped off after 10 and 20 minutes respectively.

Against the odds, the depleted Waratahs produced a gritty second-half fightback to threaten to send the match into golden-point “super time”, as they did last year after battling back from 16 points behind.

Alas, the damage was done in the first half as the Drua once again held on in such extreme heat that the two sides were afforded a drinks break at the hour-mark.

Adding to their despair, the fifth-placed Waratahs conceded a penalty try after the fulltime siren to miss out on a precious bonus point as the Drua extended their unbeaten record at home to eight matches.

“It’s a tough place to play footy,” said stand-in Waratahs captain Hugh Sinclair.

“We fell off too many tackles in the first half and gave them a head start at halftime, and we just couldn’t pull it back.

“But yeah, you’ve got to win away from home if you’re going to go deep in the comp, and we haven’t done that so far.”

After two early penalty goals to flyhalf Isaiah-Armstrong-Ravula helpd the Drua to a 6-0 lead, the hosts ran in two tries with NSW’s former England sevens star Jamie Adamson exposed in defence on both occasions.

First, flanker Motikiai Murray split Adamson and replacement lock Miles Amatosero to stroll over in the 22nd minute.

Then prolific try-scorer Ponipate Loganimasi added to his tally in the shadows of halftime to give the hosts an 18-7 advantage after easily beating lame efforts from Adamson and his opposing winger Andrew Kellaway.

No doubt inspired by having dozens of extended family members in the crowd, powerhouse back-rower Langi Gleeson kept the Tahs in the contest with their only first-half try just two minutes after replacing Gamble.

When replacement hooker Julian Heaven burrowed over in the 56th minute, the Waratahs had reduced the deficit to seven points.

But the visitors were unable to convert their momentum into a drought-breaking away win ahead of a bye next week when they could fall out of the top eight.