Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua came firing out the gate for their second year of Super Rugby competition over the weekend.
The newcomers reminded the world why they deserve to be in Super Rugby Pacific, delivering the dream for Pacific Island nations and rugby fans in the wider community.
Passion and flair were not in short supply at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium as the two teams battled it out to the very end in the Round One game.
Moana Pasifika looked to have the win until a last-gasp-try by Fijian Drua who stole their victory in the dying minutes of the game.
The front row hits were massive and the score racked up quickly during the heart-stopping 36-34 encounter, more proof the Pacific flavour is a win for Super Rugby's elite competition which will see seven games played in the islands this year.
The high quality drama proved the two Pacific sides can run their own show, but fans must wait until May 27 (Round 14) before they meet again.
Last year Super Rugby rebranded as "Super Rugby Pacific" and the five Australian, and five New Zealand sides welcomed in the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, inevitably creating a symbolic derby between the two Pacific nation teams.
They only played each other once last year, when the Drua also won 34-19.
With the weekend's clash offering up Super Rugby at its finest, it's hard to believe the two Pacific nation teams finished bottom of the ladder in 2022.
It's not expected they'll be eyeing off a spot in the finals in their second year of the competition.
But the teams demonstrated they are elite outfits — who can put on a show like their Round One match — hinting there will be much to look forward to this year.
For decades, Pacific nations were on the outer in the world of professional rugby, a sport so deeply embedded in their culture.
Since the inclusion in Super Rugby, the teams have had a huge community impact delivering hope, inclusion, and inspiration to the Pacific.
Super Rugby Pacific post- COVID19 will finally be realised this year with all the sound, colour and vibrancy of the Pacific Islands.
The Drua will play six home matches in Fiji. Last year there were only two .
The Samoan capital of Apia will also play host to a first-ever Super Rugby match this year.
Moana Pasifika is based in Auckland and the team is made up of players from various Pacific Island nations, however it has a partnership with the Samoa Tourism Authority, fostering close links with the country.
On the other hand, the Fijian Drua is a fully home-grown enterprise.
The Fiji Rugby Union can now provide a complete pathway for players from schoolboy level to the very top without losing talent to overseas clubs.
The Drua's inclusion in Super Rugby enticed many Fijian players back home.
Frank Lomani and Mesake Doge left lucrative UK contracts to pull on the Drua jersey.
Wallabies star Lote Tuqiri's nephew Emosi Tuqiri left the Melbourne Rebels, and Iosefo Masi returned to both Fiji and rugby union from a development contract with the NRL's North Queensland Cowboys.
World Rugby and SANZAAR showed they were committed to the Pacific, bringing both Moana Pasifika and the Drua into Super Rugby at the same time last year. Their spots are secure until 2030.
It's been a promising start to the year for Pacific nation rugby fans and after a game like the weekend, the inclusion of the two teams no longer has the feel of an experiment and the rugby gods must be smiling.
