THE Northern Bulls held off a spirited Northland side to secure a hard-fought 27-25 victory in round two of the Royal Tea Randi Cup tournament yesterday at Ratu Cakobau Park.
The Bulls enjoyed a strong opening half and headed into the break with a slender advantage after both teams exchanged tries in an entertaining contest.
Northern Bulls continued their momentum early in the second half, crossing for a converted try to extend their lead and put Northland under pressure.
However, Northland responded strongly with a converted try of their own to keep themselves firmly in contention.
The match continued to swing from end to end as Northland launched another dangerous attack near the try line. The side looked to score, but the effort was ruled out after officials deemed it a forward pass.
From the ensuring scrum, Northland regrouped and eventually crossed for another converted try, setting up a tense finish.
Despite the pressure, Northern Bulls remained composed and showed great determination, scoring an unconverted try in the closing stages to secure a narrow victory.
Northern Bulls head coach Osea Nabulivula praised his players for their commitment and teamwork, saying the performance reflected the hard work put in by the girls.
“I am proud of the girls’ achievements and the teamwork shown by them. They really worked together and played for each other throughout the match,” Nabulivula said.
The coach also highlighted the potential within his squad, with several players having a background in high school rugby competitions.
In other matches played yesterday, Cakaudrove thumped Bua 86-12, Tavua were thrashed by Yasawa 7-59, Ra beat Coastland 42-5, Navosa accounted for Malolo 63-32 while Serua beat Ovalau 57-29 at Nasau Park.
