Fijian Drua has played five, won two and lost three.
Photo: Supplied/ Super Rugby Pacific
With the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season entering its sixth round this week, teams have 10 more rounds to go before the weekly competition ends.
Then things get down to the serious stuff, with a three-week finals series involving the top six teams.
Super Rugby’s format to decide the semifinalists means all teams competing now must aim to finish in the top six.
That is the format used as of 2025, pulling away from the usual top eight previously used for years.
The six qualifiers are ranked one to six for the qualifying finals series.
That will see the top team or number one take on number six, number two face five and three clash against four.
The three winners will advance to the semi-finals, joined by the best losing team.
In the semifinals, the number one ranked team meets the fourth-ranked side while two and three meet each other, the games hosted by the higher seeded teams.
The winners of the semi-finals advance to the Final.
Now with that in mind, both the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika have a lot more to do to get into the top six.
After five rounds so far, the following is what the two have been able to achieve:
Fijian Drua – played five, won two and lost three. They are currently on ninth position with eight points, two less than sixth placed Waratahs and five less than fifth placed Reds, who they meet this week.
Moana Pasifika – they have won just one out of five matches and are at the bottom of the table, with four points. That is six points adrift off the Waratahs at sixth.
The Drua equation
To get into the top six the Fijian Drua have the Reds, this weekend, Blues, Crusaders, Western Force (twice), Brumbies, Chiefs, Highlanders, Waratahs and then Reds again in May to contest with.
That means they have 10 matches to make things happen.
Four of those matches will be home games, which means they have to be “must win” games for the side.
Six are away matches and if past records are anything to go by the Drua have not fared well when they played away from home.
Winning four matches will give the side 16 more points but that will not be enough to get them into the top six, if the current trends for the top eight teams are indicators of how things can turn out.
To qualify for the top six, Drua must win at least two of their away matches, adding to their home games.
Anything less will not work out for them.
Moana Pasifika has won just one out of five matches so far this season.
Photo: ActionPress
Moana Pasifika
The North Harbour based franchise lost around 15 players after the 2025 season, some moving on to other clubs.
It meant new recruitment and rebuilding again.
They host the defending champions Crusaders at home this weekend and the Highlanders next weekend in two home games.
Teams they have to face after that are the Chiefs, Warratahs, Highlanders again, Blues, Hurricanes, Reds and the Brumbies.
10 games, with five home games at North Harbour and one more in Rotorua.
Their equation to the top six is simple – win all home matches and get one on the road at least.
If they get that done and earn 28 points, then it would mean job done and they play in the semi-final qualifiers.
This weekend
That winning run for both teams must start this weekend, in their home games.
Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson has retained some consistency in their match-day 23, keeping the core of the team that defeated both the Hurricanes and Brumbies in their two recent Super Rugby Pacific wins.
Jackson has made just two changes to his run on lineup for Saturday’s clash against the Reds in Lautoka.
Flanker Kitione Salawa and hooker Zuriel Togiatama return to the starting lineup, replacing Sairusi Ravudi and Motikai Murray, who are both on the bench this week.
Jackson has retained the backline that started against the Brumbies, that being captain Frank Lomani at halfback, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula at flyhalf, wingers Ponipate Loganimasi and Joji Nasova, centre combination of Isikeli Rabitu and Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, plus fullback Iliasia Droasese.
The Reds, who have won three out of four so far, will feature three Fijians in lock Seru Uru, winger Filipo Daugunu and former Flying Fijians flyhalf Ben Volavola who will start of the bench.
Drua’s Jackson said the message to his players has been be simple, stay focused on the Reds.
“Just told the boys to be level-headed and keep their feet on the ground,” he told the media in Nadi this week.
“Had a heck of a training session yesterday, but they’ve gotten over it and they are making sure we put our foot forward for the Lautoka crowd.”
Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga has named former All Black Julie Savea to start against the Crusaders in North Harbour.
Umaga has named Savea at inside centre for the clash and also given Joel Lam his first start, with veteran Augustine Pulu ruled out for three weeks, for a red card received during the team’s clash against the Blues last week.
Lam said he is excited about having the chance to play for Moana Pasifika, having had the chance to play for Manu Samoa last year and a few matches also in rugby league.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” he told the media at Albany Stadium.
Umaga said Pulu’s absence means more opportunity for Lam to have game time.
“Joel has done a good job with the minimal time he has had and now he has got the starting beep and everything is in front of him,” he said of the player.
Moana Pasifika caused a major upset last year when they defeated the Crusaders in Christchurch, something Umaga believes their visitors will remember well this time around.
Niko Jones makes a return to the starting lineup as well, with core of the forward pack retained, led by captain Miracle Failagii.
Fijian Drua v Queensland Reds
Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday 21 March
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka
Fijian Drua: 1. Haereiti Hetet, 2. Zuriel Togiatama, 3. Mesake Doge, 4. Mesake Vocevoce, 5. Isoa Nasilasila, 6. Etonia Waqa, 7. Kitione Salawa, 8. Elia Canakaivata, 9. Frank Lomani (captain), 10. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 11. Ponipate Loganimasi, 12. Isikeli Rabitu, 13. Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 14. Joji Nasova, 15. Iliasia Droasese
Bench: 16. Sairusi Ravudi, 17. Peni Ravai, 18. Samuela Tawake, 19. Vilive Miramira, 20. Isoa Tuwai, 21. Motikiai Murray, 22. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23. Inia Tabuavoa.
Reds: 1. Aidan Ross, 2. Josh Nasser, 3. Nick Bloomfield, 4. Seru Uru, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Joe Brial, 7. John Bryant, 8. Harry Wilson (captain), 9. Kalani Thomas, 10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 11. Tim Ryan, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Isaac Henry, 14. Filipo Daugunu, 15. Jock Campbell
Bench: 16. Richie Asiata, 17. George Blake, 18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19. Hamish Muller, 20. Vaiuta Latu, 21. Louis Werchon, 22. Ben Volavola, 23. Treyvon Pritchard
Moana Pasifika v Crusaders
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 21 March
Venue: North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ
Moana Pasifika: 1. Tito Tuipulotu, 2. Millennium Sanerivi, 3. Atu Moli, 4. Tom Savage, 5. Allan Craig, 6. Miracle Faiilagi (captain), 7. Niko Jones, 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 9. Joel Lam, 10. Patrick Pellegrini, 11. Glen Vaihu, 12. Julian Savea, 13. Lalomilo Lalomilo, 14. Tevita Latu, 15. William Havili
Bench: 16. Mamoru Harada, 17. Abraham Pole, 18. Chris Apoua, 19. Veikoso Poloniati, 20. Dominic Ropeti, 21. Siaosi Nginingini, 22. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23. Tevita Ofa
Crusaders: 1. Finlay Brewis, 2. George Bell, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Tahlor Cahill, 5. Jamie Hannah, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 7. Johnny Lee, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Cooper Grant, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. Dallas McLeod, 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan (captain)
Bench: 16. Manumaua Leitu, 17. George Bower, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Antonio Shalfoon, 20. Xavier Saifoloi, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. Leciester Fainga’anuku, 23. Kurtis Macdonald