Naitasiri livewire fullback Senijiale Qiokata is back in contention for this Saturday’s do-or-die Skipper Cup semi-final against Tailevu after making a full recovery from an injury he picked up in their 32-16-quater-final win against Ba last week.
This was confirmed yesterday by team manager Pena Qaia.
He stated that the 24-year-old is training well with the team, working hard to secure his spot for Saturday’s game.
Meanwhile, the Viria, Naitasiri player is leaving no stones unturned in his hopes to again don the number 15 jumper this weekend.
“My preparation has gone well and I’m optimistic of being named in the team this week. Now it’s up to the coaches, I’ve worked hard to improve the standard of my game, especially my kicking and passing so I can do better from last week” he said.
The fullback is wary of his opposite number from Tailevu, Semisi Uluiviti.
The latter has also been in fine form, his kicking prowess has proven to be a game winning arsenal for the Tailevu team.
“His kicking game is great, especially when converting penalties. We know he will bring his A-game again this week. We will also need to improve on our discipline as we cannot afford to give him a lot of opportunities during the game.
“Last week we copped two yellow cards, playing with 14 men was hard and forced us to commit lots of penalties and we are working hard to avoid that against Tailevu”, he said
The explosive fullback, who is equally adapt at first-five, has been in sensational form this year. His kicking accuracy, counter attacking instincts, support plays and finishing abilities have been integral for the Highlanders team.
His recovery will be a boost to Naitasiri as his spark might just be the edge they need this Saturday to avenge their round two loss and bring them a step closer to Skipper Cup glory.
An epic showdown is anticipated this Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium when Naitasiri meets Tailevu at 3pm.
