The Fijian Drua, competing for the first time in the McDonald’s Fiji Coral Coast 7s, secured a spot in the semi-finals with a successful penalty goal from Ponipate Loganimasi, an Olympic silver medallist. The Drua triumphed over Fiji Bitter 7s Series leaders, Lavidi Brothers, with a narrow 8-5 victory.
The match was tightly contested, with the scores tied at 5-5 as the final hooter sounded. The Drua were awarded a penalty close to Lavidi’s territory and opted to take the shot at goal. Loganimasi took responsibility for the kick and delivered under pressure to clinch the win.
Key contributions for the Drua came from Ilaisa Droasese, who worked relentlessly throughout the match, along with strong performances from Jack Volavola and Junior Ratuva.
In another quarter-final clash, Samoa defeated the All Blacks 7s with a 21-12 victory, showcasing their dominance in the match.