Super Rugby Pacific: Highlanders cement playoffs spot with one-sided win over Fijian Drua

The Highlanders have booked a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals berth with an emphatic 39-3 win over Fijian Drua in Dunedin on Sunday.

The southerners brushed off last weekend's pasting from the Blues to lay on four tries to zilch and cement a spot in the knockout stages with a round to play, keeping the Drua winless away from home.

The result also does a favour for the Crusaders, although they'll still need to beat Moana Pasifika next weekend and hope other results go their way.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 18th minute, with Jona Nareki announcing his long-awaited return with a clinical finish in the corner.

Ten minutes later, Nareki was in the thick of the action again, this time as the creator. Dummying and exploding through the defence near halfway, the wing put the foot down and laid a try on a platter for Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Leading 18-0 at the break, the hosts kept their momentum rolling into the second stanza.

Narekia needed just foive minutes to cash in on overlap out wide, before Sam Gilbert's crossfield kick led to a slick one-two between Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Timoci Tavatavanawai for the wing to dot down.

In the dying minutes, Nikora Broughton put an exclamation mark on the win with a gift interception.

The Highlanders will travel to Wellington to close out their regular season against joint competition leaders the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Highlanders 39 (Nareki 2, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Tavatavanawai, Broughton tries; Gilbert 4 con, 2 pen) Fijian Drua 3 (Armstrong-Ravula pen)

The Highlanders have booked a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals berth with an emphatic 39-3 win over Fijian Drua in Dunedin on Sunday.

The southerners brushed off last weekend's pasting from the Blues to lay on four tries to zilch and cement a spot in the knockout stages with a round to play, keeping the Drua winless away from home.

The result also does a favour for the Crusaders, although they'll still need to beat Moana Pasifika next weekend and hope other results go their way.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 18th minute, with Jona Nareki announcing his long-awaited return with a clinical finish in the corner.

Ten minutes later, Nareki was in the thick of the action again, this time as the creator. Dummying and exploding through the defence near halfway, the wing put the foot down and laid a try on a platter for Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Leading 18-0 at the break, the hosts kept their momentum rolling into the second stanza.

Narekia needed just foive minutes to cash in on overlap out wide, before Sam Gilbert's crossfield kick led to a slick one-two between Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Timoci Tavatavanawai for the wing to dot down.

In the dying minutes, Nikora Broughton put an exclamation mark on the win with a gift interception.

The Highlanders will travel to Wellington to close out their regular season against joint competition leaders the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Highlanders 39 (Nareki 2, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Tavatavanawai, Broughton tries; Gilbert 4 con, 2 pen) Fijian Drua 3 (Armstrong-Ravula pen)

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