The Fijian Drua condemned the reigning champion Canterbury Crusaders to their worst start since the first season of Super Rugby in 1996 with a 20-10 victory in front of a passionate home crowd in Lautoka on Saturday.

The error-prone Crusaders struggled to deal with the steamy conditions as well as the power and pace of the Drua and slumped to three defeats in three matches in the new Super Rugby Pacific season under new coach Rob Penney.

The Drua defended defiantly and thoroughly deserved their second straight win over the 13-times Super Rugby champions after their last season's victory at the same Churchill Park stadium.

"This win is not for us, it's for the fans who always back us up," said Drua captain Meli Derenalagi.

"The last two games we were frustrated and disappointed with two losses. Today the boys were on fire as we defended our turf."

The Crusaders, in a period of transition after the loss of longtime coach Scott Robertson to the All Blacks and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga to Japan, took a 10-0 lead in the 19th minute when Fiji-born winger Sevu Reece crossed for a converted try.

The Drua hit back with a penalty from flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula before winger Selestino Ravutaumada finished a typically flamboyant move to send the teams into the break all square at 10-10.

Fiji scrumhalf Frank Lomani, who was outstanding leading the Drua around the park, scored the home side's second try five minutes into the second half and another penalty from Armstrong-Ravula in the 72nd minute made the points safe.

"We didn't execute, we just weren't sharp and clinical as we'd like," said Crusaders captain and All Blacks lock Scott Barrett.

"You give the Fijian Drua a sniff and they'll punish you."

The Drua move on to another tough assignment next week against competition pacesetters the Waikato Chiefs, who will be looking to maintain their 100% record when they play the Wellington Hurricanes later on Saturday.

On a balmy evening in Sydney on Friday, the New South Wales Waratahs failed to back up last week's win over the Crusaders when flyhalf Tane Edmed missed a last-minute penalty from 40 metres out to hand the Otago Highlanders a 23-21 win.

The home side failed to adjust to the refereeing of the tackle and tries from powerful centre Tanielu Tele'a and Welsh flyhalf Rhys Patchell combined with 13 points from the boot of Sam Gilbert got the Highlanders across the line.

Earlier, the crisis-hit Melbourne Rebels snatched their second win of what might be their final season with a 29-23 victory over Moana Pasifika in Hamilton.

Moana's Julian Savea scored his 61st Super Rugby try in the losing cause to edge ahead of Israel Folau as the leading try-scorer in the competition's history.