The Fijian Drua have made a statement to start their Super Rugby Women’s campaign, powering past Queensland for a 32-21 win at Ballymore.

Champions for the past two years, the Drua took every punch the Reds could throw in the grand final rematch, but proved too good with debutant winger Merewairita Neivosa the star of the show.

Neivosa created one try and scored two herself, including the sealing effort two minutes from time as she again flexed immense physicality to find the line.

But the Reds wouldn’t be too disheartened after pushing the Drua to their limits.

They looked close to dead when Drua prop Ana Korovata powered over for a 22-7 lead on 54 minutes, after Vani Arei scored earlier in the half as the Pacific side took charge.

But the Reds’ pack lifted and forced a string of penalties, culminating in a penalty try and yellow card for Korovata for collapsing a maul that would surely have crossed the line.

Queensland took advantage of the extra player, with young substitute Shalom Sauaso slicing through to lift her side to within a point, only for the Drua to throw a counter-punch and cross through Sulita Waisega.

And Neivosa’s sealer meant the Fijian team could start their celebrations a fraction earlier.

Drua captain Karalaini Naisewa said her side’s ability to offload the football and constantly threaten the Reds’ line had stood out.

Her side is searching for a three-peat, having been champions in their first two seasons in the competition.

“Just our structure game, sticking to our structure and playing the Fijiana game – that is offloading and going forward,” she told Stan Sport.

“Thank you to all the supporters back at home who have been cheering for us and supporting us all the way.”

The Reds needed to defend courageously to only trail 10-7 at halftime, after being unable to contain Neivosa.

First, she broke the Queensland line and offloaded for flanker Teresia Tinanivalu to score, before shedding defenders at will and scoring shortly before the break.

Outstanding cover defence from Reds fullback Lori Cramer was all that kept her side in it, although they’d taken an early 7-0 lead through Tiarna Molloy as five-eighth Carys Dallinger pulled the strings.

The NSW Waratahs took the first step towards redemption with a season-opening 45-10 Svictory over the ACT Brumbies.

After winning the first four editions of the competition, then losing the 2022 title match to the Fijiana Drua, the Waratahs suffered their first-ever semi-final defeat last year after going through the regular season as undefeated minor premiers.

That second crushing loss to the Drua is driving the Tahs’ quest for atonement in 2024, with skipper Piper Duck conceding the entire squad had been stewing throughout the summer.

The hurt and hunger showed as Duck delivered an inspirational captain’s knock to lead NSW to a seven-tries-to-one triumph at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

The powerhouse No.8 had a hand in the first four tries, collecting two herself, while dynamic winger Maya Stewart bagged a hat-trick.

Five-eighth Arabella McKenzie slotted five conversions as the Tahs – boasting 14 Wallaroos – won in style.

It’s not a stretch, though, to say the home team may not have won without Duck and classy flanker Emily Chancellor on the park.

After making a dream start with two tries in the opening 12 minutes and barely giving the Brumbies a look-in, the Waratahs were warned after conceding six straight penalties.

Despite a 10-minute period of dominance in the NSW half, the visitors could only manage a penalty goal from five-eighth Faitala Moleka.

Then the Waratahs immediately regained possession from the restart and delivered a hammer blow coach killer with a try after halftime to extend their lead to 21-3.

Duck started the movement with a subtle short pass to Chancellor, who looked certain to score before stumbling metres short of the line and popping up the pass for her captain to notch her double.

Under more pressure in the second half from the spirited Brumbies outfit, the hosts almost inevitably lost prop Emily Robinson to the sin bin for pulling down a maul.

The Brumbies notched their only try during their one-player advantage, through prop Sally Fuesaina in the 50th minute.

But Stewart snuffed out any hopes of a Brumbies comeback win with her second try six minutes later.

Centre Georgina Friedrichs and replacement back Tatum Bird also crossed either side of Stewart completing her treble to round out the statement win.

“I’m extremely happy with that performance,” Duck said.

“First game of the season, we had a really solid four trial games leading into that and I think it really shows.

“The pre-season that we’ve had has been such hot tier and I’m really proud of the girls tonight.”

Western Force winger Rosie McGehan has scored a double and dished off another to lead her side to a 36-12win over the Melbourne Rebels at Perth’s HBF Stadium.

The Force scored the first three tries of Friday’s match to shoot out to a 19-0 lead, and withstood a Rebels fightback to secure victory and a valuable bonus point against last season’s wooden spooners.

McGehan scored in the 27th and 50th minutes, and dished off a clever pass while being tackled to set up outside centre Sheree Hume for the sealing try in the 67th minute.

The six-tries-to-two victory marked a perfect start to the five-round season for the Force, who are aiming to make the finals for the first time.

“The tournament’s a sprint, so to get those bonus points, they’re really crucial,” Force coach Dylan Parsons said.

“To get one early just gives us a little bit of space there.”

Fullback Aiysha Wigley kicked things off in the 11th minute when she was left unmarked in the left corner and squeezed her way over.

Flyhalf Nicole Ledington set up the second try in the 27th minute, drawing two defenders before offloading a pass for McGehan to cross.

But the best try of all came in the 38th minute when the Rebels attempted a counter-attack.

Force flanker Anneka Stephens produced a strong tackle to stop the Rebels in their tracks, and the ball slipped out to the waiting hands of Haylee Hifo.

The Force winger made the most of the good fortune, sprinting 40m to the line to extend the lead to 19-0.

But the Rebels didn’t go into the break empty handed, thanks to a bit of ill-disciplined back-chat to the referee from the Force.

The home side were penalised 10 metres, with the Rebels taking quick advantage by sending fullback Chanelle Kohika-Skipper over the line.

And when Rebels hooker Jayme Nuku barged over in the 43rd minute, the margin was back to seven points.

But it was all the Force from that point on, with a neat pass from skipper Trilleen Pomare setting up McGehan for her second, before McGehan turned provider for Hume.

Substitute Saelua Leaula added the icing with an 80th-minute try.

It was an impressive display for the revamped Force, whose starting XV featured 11 new players, including seven Super Rugby debutants.