Super Rugby Pacific franchises, Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, have claimed for the first time historic victories against two New Zealand opponents hours apart in the same round.

The Fijians captured a thrilling 28-24 home win over Waikato Chiefs in Lautoka, while Moana Pasifika won a 40-31 success against Wellington at North Harbour Stadium.

Never before had the pair collected simultaneous conquests on Saturday, let alone against one of the five giant Kiwi regional franchises.

Both Pacific sides also recorded their first wins of the 2025 season against two of Super Rugby's most consistent teams from 2024 and the early part of this year.

The performances were especially gallant for the resilient Fijians considering travel matters they had to endure a week earlier.

The Drua's most-recent triumph comes after a series of circumstances of poor treatment on the previous road trip from hell, which included the Fijians being forced into a late-night ride on the floor of a truck that was supposed to carry their bags and equipment separately.

After landing in Auckland near midnight, the players arrived to find a bus that New Zealand's Super Rugby organisers had booked to transport the team to a hotel had not arrived.

The day after sharing a hotel in Napier with the Hurricanes were told they could not get a late check-out on Saturday six hours before kickoff that Drua coach Glenn Jackson later explained affected planned preparations amid the four-point loss.

A number of former Fijian players publicly, who once represented the All Blacks or Wallabies, questioned whether the New Zealand or Australia Super Rugby Pacific teams would have been treated the same way.

Fijian Drua management subsequently wrote to Super Rugby chief executive Jack Mesley to also highlight a series of additional matters, including the team's elderly guests not given any seats in one of McLean Park's many grandstands, which launched an investigation during the week that eventually satisfactorily addressed the Pacific team.

The Drua would return home to sail past the previously unbeaten Chiefs in front of a vocal home crowd of more than 10,000 spectators.

Even the torrential rain could not hold back the Drua as the host side overturned three straight defeats by five points to start the season to win by four in round four.

Winger Ponepati Loganimasi was the difference between the two teams, setting up and scoring the match-winning second-half try.

The Fijian franchise has now won their last seven consecutive matches at Churchill Park that included all five of their 2024 season appearances at the favourite venue.

Moana Pasifika - who play one match a year in Tonga - debuted at North Harbour in Auckland after previously calling Mt Smart Stadium home from 2022 until 2024.

The side that is solely based on New Zealand-based Polynesian players that are eligible for either Tonga, Samoa or for the All Blacks, began as the Super Rugby perennial strugglers in the rebranded Pacific era, earning the wooden spoon in its first two seasons before ending 2024 in second-last place.

Moana Pasifika started the contest one try down before crossing for five consecutive tries – that had converted into 28 points with the four goals – to seal the match despite a late Hurricanes fightback with three of the last four tries.

The win ensured Ardie Savea bragging rights over ex-Wellington teammates in their first confrontation since joining the expansion side after a short stint in Japanese club rugby.

Though, Savea's night was marred after the All Black great went off right before the half-time break with an injury.

However, it was fellow backrower Miracle Faiʻilagi that stepped up and was the hero with a rare hat-trick.