Rewa back in top spot
REWA exposed Nanukuloa’s weaknesses in the scrums earning two penalty tries to post a 22-13 win in the Vodofone Vanua Championship semi-final at Garvey Park in Tavua yesterday resulting in automatic promotion back to the Skipper Cup next season.
Rewa which was demoted to the Vodofone Vanua Championship after a poor performance in the 2019 Skipper Cup, did their homework well on Nanukuloa analyzing their quarterfinal match against Serua.
Rewa coach Ro Alivereti Doviverata said they identified the scrums and line-outs as the major weak areas for Nanukuloa and exploited them.
Doviverata said after they got demoted last year, a strategic plan was set up to get the team back into the top flight.
He said they achieved one of their missions set out at the beginning of the season after yesterday’s result.
“After we got demoted last year we sat down with the management and I told them that we will try to get back to the Skipper Cup,” Doviverata said.
“That’s what we have achieved today (yesterday). We are thankful to our vanua and everyone who has been supporting the team from day one. We have accomplished one of our missions that we set at the beginning.”
Doviverata said they played a lot of tough matches this season relying heavily on their forwards to do the damage and lay the platform for the backline.
“Coming into the eliminations we watched the Serua-Nanukuloa quarter-final and we noticed that Nanukuloa had some weaknesses especially in their scrums and line outs,” he said.
“Those are the areas that we targeted and it paid off as we got two penalty tries from the scrums.”
Nanukuloa coach Reverend Joji Rinakama admitted that their weakness in the scrums proved to be their downfall.
“We conceded two penalty tries because our scrums disintegrated,” Rinakama said.
“In order to improve in this department, the boys will need to do more work in the off season especially during their gymnasium sessions.
“We lack those facilities in Nanukuloa. The upper body strength of the players is vital throughout the season.”
Rewa will play Northland in the Vodafone Vanua Championship final. Both teams have been promoted to the major division next year and will feature in the Skipper Cup.