NADROGA’S 44–32 victory over Naitasiri has kept its Skipper Cup U20 title hopes alive, but captain Emitai Karatu knows the Stallions must deliver another strong performance to move closer to the final.
The win at Lawaqa Park last Saturday secured Nadroga’s place in the semi-finals after a demanding preparation period, giving the side another opportunity to test itself against the competition’s remaining contenders.
“The boys put a lot of effort today (last Saturday) to secure the win,” Karatu said.
Although the result was encouraging, the Nadroga captain acknowledged that reaching the knockout stage had required plenty of hard work, with preparations proving challenging before the team took the field.
“Preparations wasn’t easy, it was quite tough,” he said.
With the quarter-final behind them, Karatu and his teammates must now shift their attention to the semi-finals, where another victory would bring them one step closer to the championship.
Nadroga also have history to draw on in the age-grade competition. The side won the Skipper Cup U20 title in 2024, beating Naitasiri 43–36 in the final.
That achievement provides a reminder of what Nadroga can accomplish in the competition, although this year’s squad must produce its own performances to keep the club’s championship ambitions alive.
The other quarter-final winners were Suva, who defeated Taveuni 49–19, Nadi, who beat Malolo 43–20, and Ba, who edged Tailevu 25–20.
With four teams remaining, the competition enters another demanding stage, where consistency and execution will be important as each side fights for a place in the final.
For Karatu, the immediate task is to ensure the effort that carried Nadroga past Naitasiri is repeated in the next match.
The captain believes the quarter-final success can provide a foundation for the challenge ahead, but the team must back it up on the field.
“We hope that with the victory today (Saturday), we can secure another win in the semi-finals,” he said.
Nadroga will face Suva this Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium at 11am.
