Tailevu Rugby Union will meet Naitasiri in a warm-up clash this Saturday at Ratu Cakobau Park as both provinces gear up for the opening round of the 2025 Skipper Cup competition next weekend.
Tailevu Rugby Union president Joe Rodan said the match will serve as a final platform to assess their squad’s progress following a five-week build-up.
“We are having this warm-up match with Naitasiri so we can test our players on everything they’ve been working on our game structure, fitness, and overall systems,” Rodan said.
The Tailevu squad has been undergoing a rigorous off-season and gym program at the High-Performance Unit over the past six weeks. Rodan said this year’s team will reflect the effort and expertise of a driven coaching panel.
“We have a good, skilful panel of coaches who are determined to take Tailevu to greater heights.
“I tell you, this year Tailevu will be the side to reckon with. We want to bring back the glory days.”
With eyes firmly set on winning both the Skipper Cup and the prestigious Farebrother Trophy, Rodan said the union is taking a holistic approach combining physical preparation with deep community support.
“This will be a different Tailevu team. We’re not just preparing physically we’ve taken our ‘sevusevu’ to 20 villages and shared our vision for 2025–2030. The Vanua is fully behind us.”
Rodan confirmed there are currently 65 Tailevu players plying their trade overseas, and the union’s focus is now on executing a winning strategy for this season.
Tailevu last won the Farebrother Trophy 18 years ago a drought the union is determined to end in 2025.
“This year, we mean business,” Rodan said.
