The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua kept their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific playoff hopes alive when they beat Queensland Reds 28-19 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva today.

Former Flying Fijians and Crusaders star winger Nemani Nadolo said this was an important win for the Drua to set them up for their final two matches- against the Highlanders in Dunedin and the Rebels in Lautoka.

Drua captain Tevita Ikanivere said he had been challenging the players throughout to show up on game day.

“This win is for our fans and families,” he said.

Reds captain Liam Wright highlighted that they did not have a great start and a penalty right on halftime made things more difficult for them.

“We were punched in the face pretty early in the game and the penalty on halftime made it hard for us.”

The Drua took an early 7-0 lead from a penalty try after Reds winger Suliasi Vunivalu deliberately tripped Kitione Salawa to stop him from scoring a try.

Then a place kick by Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula was picked up by Etonia Waqa who was brought down close to the line and Simione Kuruvoli quickly fed Ikanivere who barged over to score the first try with the conversion going wide.

Then the Reds narrowed the deficit to 12-7 from a Floyd Aubrey try, which was converted by Lawson Creighton. Ravula made it 15-7 from a converted penalty.

The Creighton sped through a gap in the Drua backline to score an individual try, which he converted to bring the scores to 15-14.

Drua second-five eighth Waqa Nalaga was replaced due to a rib injury and he was replaced by Kemu Valetini who converted a 50-metre penalty to leave the

halftime scores 18-14 in favour of the Drua.

In the second half, Selestino Ravutaumada zig-zagged his way through the Reds defensive line only to be tripped by Vunivalu who was shown the red card. On that move, the Drua maintained the momentum with Ikanivere scoring his second try and the conversion going over.

Trailing 25-14, the Reds came back with an unconverted try to George Blake but it was Ravula who landed another penalty to extend Drua’s lead to 28-19.

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