THE Nadroga rugby team expects Naitasiri to be a tougher opponent compared with the team that lost in the fourth round battle at Lawaqa Park last month.
As both teams gear up for the Skipper Cup semi-final, the atmosphere at Lawaqa Park on Saturday is expected to lighten up the Coral Coast as the two teams once again meet at the elimination stages and supporters from both sides will be a boost for the two teams.
However Nadroga rugby president Tiko Matawalu said both teams were not new to the play-off stages but they were confident of giving the Highlanders another good run this Saturday.
“For us the journey is not over yet, we are hosting Naitasiri and it will be a different ball game so we need to prepare accordingly because Naitasiri is also hungry for a Skipper win and to keep both trophies in their cabinet is their goal.
“But Nadroga is Nadroga and we’ve walked this path before where we lose two to three games but we end up winning the competition and to the people who don’t follow or know about us, will have critics but we’re used to this competitions and the players are aware of what’s coming their way,” said Matawalu.
The Stallions kicked off with the Skipper Cup campaign on the bottom of the table with two losses to Nadi in the first round and Suva in the second but in the third round against Northland they recorded their first win with a bonus point and they continued to win all their remaining matches with bonus points to give them a home semi-final match.
Meanwhile, the Nadroga women’s team will take on Naitasiri at 10am at Lawaqa Park and Cuvu College under-18 will face Ratu Navula U18 at 11.30 for the Western Division Dean’s competition round three.
At 1pm, Naitasiri under-19 team will take on Nadi before the main game between Nadroga and Naitasiri in the senior division at 3pm.
