NSW Waratahs complete another three-peat with dominant win over Drua

The NSW Waratahs have secured a three-peat of Super Rugby Women’s titles for the second time in less than 10 years, as the two-time reigning champions defended their crown with a dominant 34-17 win over the Fijian Drua in Ba.

New South Wales started yet another title defence with a 42-29 win over the Drua in round one, before suffering first-time defeats to the Western Force and Queensland Reds during the five-week regular season.

That saw the Waratahs finish third on the standings, with the Drua taking out top spot and the Force claiming second. But with the Tahs and Drua winning their respective semi-finals, those two would meet in the Grand Final for the third time.

The Drua are the only other side that has successfully claimed Super Rugby Women’s silverware, triumphing in the 2022 and 2023 Grand Finals. But on Saturday afternoon, with a home crowd watching on, they had earned another chance to fight for the competition’s top prize.

It was a nail-biting start to the big dance, with neither team able to open the point-scoring account for about 20 minutes. Wallaroos flyer Maya Stewart ended up touching down for the first points after receiving a sublime cut-out pass from fullback Caitlyn Halse.

The successful shot at the poles saw the visitors take a 7-0 lead, and things only got better for the team in pink that afternoon. Stewart made a break down the right touchline soon after, before setting up Desiree Miller to score with a clever offload.

It was 12-0 in favour of the Tahs after 28 minutes. The Drua looked to hit back immediately after charging down an attempted Waratahs clearance, but a mistake near the right sideline saw New South Wales set up for a lineout.

The Drua had the final point-scoring attempt of the half, with winger Aqela Raitubu kicking the ball ahead to chase. But Halse won the race to the ball, which was grounded in the in-goal to ensure it remained it a 12-point ballgame at the break.

Waiaria Ellis had the Tahs in a strong position early in the second term, with the fly-half dancing though the Drua defensive line and into the red zone. The Tahs spread the ball wide a few phases later, but blindside flanker Ruby Anderson dropped the ball over the line.

It was a brief moment of ‘what could’ve been for the Tahs’, but they quickly made amends as they continued to search for points. Faliki Pohiva was next to strike, before Miller added the extras with a tough conversion attempt.

Inside centre Rosie Ferguson beat Drua defenders with a clever show-and-go, running in the team’s fourth try of the afternoon. The Tahs raced out to a comprehensive 24-point lead, but the Drua refused to throw in the towel.

To the delight of the home crowd, the Drua crossed for their first points about 58 minutes in, with blindside flanker Nunia Daunimoala crashing over. But the Tahs hit back soon after through replacement Amelia Whitaker.

Whitaker, who had been electric off the bench as a replacement for Halse, completed a double with an effort fairly late in the piece. With less than 15 minutes left, the Tahs had raced out to a strong 29-point advantage.

The Drua scored the last two tries of the Grand Final but the match, and the title, had effectively been wrapped up by then. Emily Chancellor and the Waratahs have won the club’s seventh Super Rugby Women’s title.