THE past is in the past for Rewa and it is treating each 2026 BiC Fiji FACT match as a final when it kicks off this Friday in Labasa.
It is the guiding star of progress for seasoned Rewa captain and coaching official, Tevita Waranivalu and his teammates.
Waranivalu affirmed the Delta Tigers’ record of triumphs however he warned looking good on paper did not necessarily translate to the same on the field.
“Everybody has seen the squad; we are one of the best teams on paper,” Waranivalu said.
“But it doesn’t mean that because we are good on paper, we will be good on the field.
“Whatever happened last year and the tournaments we won – that’s history now.”
Rewa fell short of Fiji FACT glory in the final last year when they were defeated 4-2 by Labasa, but bounced back late last year to win the 2025 Inter-District Competition against Ba.
Walking into the first major football competition of the year for the team coached by Priyant Mannu, Rewa does so with a clean slate and the belief that this will be the year they will finally break their eight-year winless jinx.
However, getting to that point means battling a tough pool of opponents in Pool A with Labasa, Navua and Suva this weekend at Subrail Park.
“It is going to be a good tournament, an interesting one,” Waranivalu added.
“All the teams are prepared, and every game will be a final one for us.”
While the Tigers will take each game in stride, coach Mannu says their focus will rest on their first clash against Navua on Friday.
“Our focus will remain on the first game; it’s very important in tournament football that we win our first game so that everything ahead will be in our hands.”
Rewa’s aim to make a solid first impression and treating each match as a grand final will set the stage for a Fiji FACT campaign they intend to win, at all costs.
The Fiji FACT will end on June 28 at Subrail Park.
Rewa’s Fiji FACT matches this weekend:
Friday – Navua at 5pm
Saturday: Suva at 2pm
Sunday: Labasa at 3pm
