The Wallson Suva women’s rugby team defeated Namosi 20-8 in the ANZ Marama championship curtain-raiser match at the National Stadium in Suva yesterday.
Suva scored the first try to blind side flanker Vitalini Mirini in the fifth minute. In the eighth minute Namosi blindside flanker Esita Duwe was handed a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
Namosi responded with a penalty kick to inside centre Wainikiti Tuwaqa.
The wet ground condition did not dampen the spirits of the Suva side as they scored another try from a penalty scrum near the try line to open side flanker Mere Moto.
Suva led 10-3 in the first half. In the second half the Suva’s defence was ruthless preventing Namosi from scoring points in the fifth minute.
Namosi open side flanker Agnes Seru copped a yellow card in the 59th minute.
Suva scored two tries in the second half to lock Neli Mairata and wing Vika Rokotuinaceva. Namosi’s lone try came from full back Wainikiti Gonevulavula.
All conversations from the Suva fly half Mereani Moceituba was unsuccessful throughout the game. Suva coach Meli Tuifagalele said the players came prepared against a tough Namosi side.
“The players were really up for it and we had prepared throughout the whole week for the 80 minutes that we were going to face Namosi,” he said.
“Namosi is a champion team and we knew that they would have been studying us.
“We did not change our game plan, we stuck to what was going right for us from the first game up until this game and the girls delivered that today.
Meanwhile, the Suva women’s team had the services of former Fijiana Drua outside centre Litiana Lawedrau, who was sent back home because of disciplinary issue in Australia.
Tuifagalele said Litiana had taken this step positively in playing at the local competition.
“She’s trying to turn over a new chapter and the way she’s been playing, will definitely cause coaches back in Australia a hard time in selection. I believe the standard of local competition here has also risen.”
Suva women will host the Lautoka women’s team next week at the Capital City. Namosi coach Elenoa Kunatuba said the team had expected a strong game from Suva.
“Suva being the champion side and they had finished in the top 4 in the last season,”Kunatuba said.
The Namosi women’s side will face Nadi in the next round of the ANZ Marama championship at Thompson Park, Navua.
“And they have national reps with them.
“We did not use that as an excuse and to compete with them at this curtain raiser goes to how we prepared ourselves mentally. ”
We have a lot of young girls and they have dreams of making it into the Fijiana 7s and Fijiana 15s team.
“There are a lot of things we got exposed to in the field that we will work on our weaknesses before the next game.”
