Rewa support in abundance
RUGBY is a game of wits, says Rewa Rugby Union secretary Petero Kaveni after his side beat a spirited Ovalau side 17-15 in the second quarter-final of the Vodafone Vanua Championship at the Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori on Friday.
Both teams had their vocal support from the stands. Ovalau's green and gold stripes flags dominated the Nausori Town park.
Spectators from the island sailed across the seas in eight busloads and two from the West. This did not include the people of Lomaiviti living in Suva and Nausori who braved the rain to watch the encounter.
They were kept warm with high intensity and fast running rugby.
Ovalau rushed into the game attacking and a chip-kick two minutes from start gave them their first try. Ovalau 7-0 Rewa. A shock start, but the hosts, coached by former Fiji 7s and 15s skipper and Rewa chief Ro Alifereti Doviverata, stuck to brickwall defence.
Rewa had the better forward pack. They worked slowly and carefully on the slippery surface. They had small players but they defended with stinging tackles. The visitors were falling to the ground like chopped banana trees.
In the course of the match, Ovalau gave away a penalty try to level points before Rewa winger William Tabua ran in another to push them ahead 11-7 in the 20th minute.
Five minutes later Rewa N0.8 Apolosi Tamata dived over to cushion the lead 17-7 at halftime.
Ovalau did not give up. It retaliated, regrouped and continued to attack to see winger Ilaisa Camaitoga crossing over to trail 15-17. With the last quarter remaining Ovalau mounted attacks, using penalties to run at Rewa within centimetres from the tryline, but the stinging Rewa defence stood firm. Rainy weather and puddles are playgrounds for Rewa people.
They weathered all attacks, including a scary concussion which held play for about 10 minutes to their player, Epeli Tamata.
Rewa maintained sound defence to pip Ovalau by 17-15.
"We played smartly," Rewa Rugby Union secretary Petero Kaveni said.
"Ovalau was the champion in the East and were unbeaten. They came prepared and hungry but the vanua support helped us win.” Halftime Rewa 17-7 Ovalau.