“We’ve finally got the monkey off our back.” That’s how Naitasiri coach Dr Ilaitia Tuisese described how much their 16-14 win over Skipper Cup defending champions Nadi yesterday meant to the team.
It was the bustling forwards that starred for the Hillmen plus the boots of fullback Etonia Rokotuisawa that handed them a win against Nadi after failing in four past attempts.
Rokotuisawa scored 11 points off his boots while burly flanker Tomasi Naiduki crossed for a try in the 34th minute.
Nadi’s points in the first half came from the boots of fly-half Rafaele Tunidau and a try to lock Simione Nawai.
The hosts led 14-10 at the breather.
“This has been two years in the making for us,” Tuisese said.
“A lot of work has been put in to get the win today. The forwards were always our strength and they laid the platform for the win today.”
In a scrappy game, largely due to the wet conditions in the West, the Nadi Jets put the first points on the board with two penalties from the boots of Tunidau that saw them take a 6-0 lead in the first 15 minutes.
Rokotuisawa put the hillmen on the scoreboard through a penalty kick in the 27th minute before Naiduki crossed the line seven minutes later as the visitors took a 10-6 lead.
With five minutes left on the clock to the break, Tunidau reduced the lead to just one point and lock Simione Nawai went over to put the side 14-10 up at half-time.
The Naitasiri forwards put in a strong performance in the second half as they overturned scrums, dominated breakdowns and were brutal in the ruck and maul. Rokotuisawa’s two penalties were the only points in the second half.
Nadi assistant coach Cohan Politini said he was disappointed with the loss and this was their first defeat to Naitasiri in the last four games.
“This is just our second game and a good learning experience for the boys. We need to work on our set-piece play and be more clinical.”
