NSW Waratahs won a record-extending seventh Super Rugby Women's title on July 25, 2026, defeating Fijian Drua 34-17 in a grand final played on Fijian soil for the first time.

The match at Four R Stadium in Ba, Fiji, pitted the two most successful sides in the competition's short history against each other for the third time in a final. They had split the previous two encounters — one apiece — making this the decider (The Guardian).

NSW, captained by flanker Emily Chancellor, suffocated the home side early. Winger Maya Stewart opened the scoring in the 19th minute, and the Waratahs led 12-0 at half-time. Ten minutes after the break, they had stretched that to 24-0. Fijian Drua, roared on by a home crowd, took almost an hour to register their first points.

Replacement back Amelia Whitaker delivered the decisive burst, scoring two tries in eight minutes during the second half to put the result beyond doubt. Centre Rose Ferguson had earlier dummyed through the defensive line for a try of her own, while Stewart turned provider with an assist for fellow Wallaroo Miller.

Fijian Drua, led through the season by captain Bitila Tawake, kept a settled squad for the final (Rugby Australia). Their rally produced three tries in the closing stages — two from flanker Nunia Daunimoala and one from No 8 Sulita Waisega — but the deficit was too great. The Waratahs crossed for six tries in total to Drua's three.

Wallaroos prop Faliki Pohiva was named player of the final for her dominant work in the scrum — the set piece where eight forwards from each side bind together and push against each other to win possession of the ball.

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka presented the trophy to the Waratahs at the post-match ceremony. For NSW forward Emily Robinson, who came off the bench, it was an eighth Super W final appearance and a seventh winners' medal.

The Waratahs' path to the title was not straightforward. They lost back-to-back round-robin matches to Queensland Reds and Western Force before reversing the result against the Force in the semi-finals. Wallaroos fullback Caitlyn Halse was brought into the starting side for the final, a selection call from head coach that paid off in a composed defensive display.

NSW's season is not over. The Waratahs will contest the Super Rugby Champions final on Saturday, August 1, against the winner of the Super Rugby Aupiki decider between New Zealand's Blues and Matatu — a cross-competition showdown between the Australian and New Zealand women's champions.

For Fijian Drua, the disappointment of a home final loss is tempered by the fact that they hosted one at all. Bringing a Super W grand final to Fiji is a milestone for the women's game in the Pacific, and a crowd in Ba got to see their side fight back after an hour of being shut out.