Defending Skipper Cup champion Suva is ready for knockout rugby when it takes on Nadi in the semi-final at Prince Charles Park this Saturday.

Starting the season with one win from the first four games, Suva clawed its way back into the competition to secure a spot in the final four.

Team manager Nemani Tuifagalele said his side was ready for Nadi.

“The week’s break has given us that much-needed preparation time and now we are sure we will be able to match Nadi. It is going to be difficult but we will give them a good run,” Tuifagalele said.

Suva lost both the round-robin matches against Nadi, and Tuifagalele said it was a learning curve for his side.

“The two losses we suffered were in the round robin and this is knock-out rugby. Here we know that if we lose, our title is gone and my players are well aware of that.”

The team manager adds the players are injury-free and forward utility James Brown, who had missed a few games due to injury, is available this week.

“He (James) missed the matches against Namosi and Northland but has been training from last week and is expected to feature this weekend. Apart from him, all our players are available for the Nadi match.”

Nadi will host the match.

Tuifagalele said the traveling fans would give Suva the backing they needed.

“Our fans are like our family and we will need them this Saturday. We have a few buses for the fans and we request them to come out in numbers and cheer their team on.”

The Nadi-Suva match kicks off at 3pm.

The second semi-final between Naitasiri and Nadroga will be held at Nausori’s Ratu Cakobau Park at 3pm.