Naitasiri wallops Yasawa to score bonus win
NAITASIRI Rugby established their first bonus win in the first round of the Skipper Cup competition after beating Yasawa 50-0 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi yesterday.
Naitasiri head coach Ilaitia Tuisese said: “We will take the win today. There are so many things we will need to work on for our second match next week.”
The highlanders asserted their dominance early on, applying relentless pressure in the initial 40 minutes.
Nunder 8 Maciu Vakacabeqoli notched the opening try in the fourth minute.
Naitasiri continued their relentless performance, securing their second try through Fijian Drua squad member Motikiai Murray in the 25th minute, with fullback Senijale Qioqata converting.
Executing a clever play in the backline, winger Sakaraia Soqonakalou scored the third try in the 29th minute, successfully converted by Qioqata.
Yasawa’s lapses in execution allowed Naitasiri to capitalise, resulting in their fourth try to Sakaraia Soqonakalou in the 35th minute, establishing a 24-0 lead at halftime.
Maintaining their intensity in the second half, the highlanders’ forward pack dominated, securing turnovers and contributing to their fifth try scored by fullback Senijale Qioqata, converted by flyhalf Peceli Nacebe.
Yasawa struggled to breach Naitasiri’s territory, facing a relentless highlanders’ performance across all phases. Naitasiri sealed the game with three additional tries and successfully converted two, solidifying their 50-0 triumph at the final whistle.
Yasawa captain Sela Makavu admits: “We didn’t play according to our game structure and hopefully our game against Ba next week we will improve from today.”