Malolo’s voyage from the Mamanuca Group into this season’s Skipper Cup competition reached new territory last Saturday when they beat Nadi 31-19 to meet Naitasiri in the final.
The team was initially out of the main provincial competition and got promoted back into it with Vatukoula last year from the Vodafone Vanua Championship, the second-tier competition.
In the round-robin competition, out of nine appearances, it won three of them, against Ba 42-33, Nadi 52-27 and Vatukoula 20-17.
They qualified for the semi-finals where they met round five opponents and triumphed 23-22 at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.
Before that match, the team was dealt with the sudden loss of their technical advisor, the seasoned former Nadroga coach and former Flying Fijian, Esala Nauga, a day before.
However, the loss wasn’t only theirs to come to terms with, their opposing team was also overcome with grief and sorrow.
As Malolo won, their journey into last week’s semi-final and this week’s final has taken on a new source of guidance – to honour the late Nauga.
It is exactly what its head coach Rupeni Nasiga told the media after their victory on Saturday.
“I know that in coming here today (yesterday), we are also representing the house of Nakuruvarua (the chiefly house of the Turaga na Ka Levu) and this is also dedicated to our late coach (Esala Nauga) and his family.”
The finale will take place at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva this Saturday.
