ARMY Bears Women have announced their arrival in the Fiji National Rugby League Women’s Premiership with a powerful 28-14 victory over defending champions Police Sharks.
The Army Bears have stormed into the final in their first season of competition, producing a disciplined and physical performance to eliminate the defending champions.
Their victory was built on a defensive effort that repeatedly denied the Sharks any opportunity to fight their way back into the match.
Team manager Warrant Officer Class 1 Kristle Rabuku said the team had entered the tournament with a straightforward approach — take one game at a time.
“Our mindset coming into the tournament was to take one game at a time,” Rabuku said.
“The girls played according to the coaches’ plan, and the teamwork they displayed on the field was outstanding.”
The Army Bears’ physical defence proved decisive, with the players delivering numerous bone-crunching tackles to disrupt the Sharks’ attack and protect their lead.
Rabuku said defensive intensity had been a major focus during preparations for the semi-final, particularly against the defending champions.
“That was a major part of our game plan during preparation, especially knowing we were playing against the defending champions,” she said.
The emphatic victory has placed the Army Bears one step away from claiming the premiership title, but Rabuku said the team would not allow its semi-final success to distract it from the task ahead.
The players will return to the drawing board on Monday to review their performance and address the mistakes that surfaced during the match.
“We will forget about the semi-final victory and go back to the drawing board on Monday,” Rabuku said.
“We need to work on our mistakes, especially our handling errors, discipline and defence.”
With their debut season already delivering a place in the final, the Army Bears will now focus on refining their execution and maintaining the defensive standards that carried them past the defending champions.
