WELLINGTON, New Zealand — In Super Rugby Pacific’s crucial weekend of matches, teams either succeeded or faltered in the race for the six-team playoff spot. The Auckland Blues, defending champions, found themselves in a must-win situation following their defeat to the Queensland Reds, marking their seventh loss of the season. They needed a victory against the Western Force on Friday and managed a 40-19 win. The match was more competitive than the score suggested, with the Blues’ scrum dominance playing a pivotal role.
This victory temporarily lifted the Blues to sixth place, but was short-lived as Moana Pasifika claimed a 34-29 win over the Dunedin-based Highlanders on Sunday, pushing the Blues back to seventh and the Force down to eighth based on point differential. Blues’ coach Vern Cotter had expressed his frustration after the Reds defeat, emphasizing the significance of the remaining matches against the Force, Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika, and New South Wales Waratahs. Captain Patrick Tuipulotu said, “It’s never really nice when your coach is questioning your attitude, but I think that’s what we needed — a bit of a wake-up call.”
Moana Pasifika’s triumph marked their fifth win of the season, propelling them into playoff contention, although they face difficult upcoming matches against the Blues, Crusaders, and Hurricanes. Meanwhile, the Wellington-based Hurricanes continued their push for playoffs, building on their impressive win over the Brumbies last week. They achieved another surprise victory, defeating the table-topping Chiefs 35-17, with winger Bailyn Sullivan scoring four tries in the second half after replacing Kini Naholo, who suffered a serious knee injury. This win moved the Hurricanes to fifth place, two points ahead of Moana Pasifika and four ahead of the Blues.
The Chiefs remained at the top of the standings alongside the Christchurch-based Crusaders, who were unable to capitalize on the Chiefs’ loss due to their bye week. The Brumbies held onto third place following a 40-17 victory against the Waratahs, who slipped to eighth but remain just a point away from sixth place. Despite a surprise 36-33 loss to the Fijian Drua, the Queensland Reds maintained their fourth position.
Turning to the Fijian Drua, they maintained an impressive home record with their win over the Reds in Suva. This victory recalled their past home successes against the Reds, such as their 41-17 win in 2023 and 28-19 triumph in 2024. Although the Drua have only won three of their five home matches so far this season, they remain winless on the road and sit at the bottom of the standings. Over the past three years, they have played 19 home matches, securing victories in 14 of them, including wins against elite teams like the Crusaders, Waratahs, and Melbourne Force. The Drua clinched their recent victory with a last-minute try by replacement player Isikeli Rabitu, dampening the Reds’ spirits in their first match since their coach Les Kiss was named to replace Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach.
In a related development, Kurtley Beale made his return to rugby for the Western Force against the Blues after a 10-month hiatus. The 36-year-old former Wallabies utility marked his comeback with a try, playing at fullback and putting on a commendable 72-minute performance before being substituted. Beale commented on his return, “It’s good to be back but disappointed in the end. The game’s changing. It’s getting fitter, faster, stronger. But I enjoy the challenge. I love the unpredictability of the game.”