SUVA may have walked away from Bidesi Ground with a convincing 52-24 victory over Lautoka in round seven of the Subrails Marama Championship yesterday, but coach Meli Tuifagalele believes the scoreline tells only half the story.
The match report recorded a high-scoring contest, with both teams finding opportunities to cross the try line. Suva eventually pulled away to secure the win and an important bonus point, but Tuifagalele was quick to acknowledge the challenge posed by Lautoka.
“We are grateful for the win. All glory goes back to God,” Tuifagalele said.
“The result today does not reflect how hard the match was. It was actually a tough game today. The fact that we came away with a win, we are just very grateful and we will build on it in our next game.”
For Suva, the victory was about more than simply adding another win to its campaign. With the competition moving closer to the knockout stages, every point is becoming increasingly valuable, particularly for teams battling to secure favourable positions heading into the quarterfinals.
Tuifagalele said the primary objective was always to win, with the bonus point an added reward.
“Our first objective was just to get the win. The bonus point came as a bonus,” he said.
“But in the scheme of things, it is very important to get the win and also get the bonus point if ever possible.”
The Suva coach also credited the young players who have stepped up this season following the departure of several players to other provinces.
“There are a lot of young players who have stepped up this season for us,” he said. “They have really stepped up and are doing the work for us.”
However, Tuifagalele knows Suva cannot afford to become complacent.
He identified the set-piece as the biggest area requiring improvement, saying the team still needs to become more clinical. Defence is another area on his radar after the 24 points conceded against Lautoka.
“We have been trying to emphasise our defensive part of the game,” he said.
With the quarter-final race heating up, Suva has secured the points it needed. Now, Tuifagalele wants his players to turn their attacking promise into greater discipline and precision.
