Kikau back
Three Vodafone Fijian Bati players are confirmed for Sunday’s National Rugby League (NRL) Grand Final in Sydney, Australia. Penrith Panthers have indicated the return of Bati strongman Viliame Kikau from suspension to team-up with hooker Api Koroisau. Koroisau got the Man of the Match award in the 20-16 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs. For Storm, winger Suliasi Vunivalu has cemented his spot after a sterling performance against Canberra Raiders where he scored a try. The other is probably centre Isaac Lumelume, who made his NRL debut this year. Fiji National Rugby League’s acting chief executive officer Don Natabe said yesterday it’s a great achievement for the sport as they head towards next year’s Rugby League World Cup.
“Their performance will boost the rest of the Bati players. The four players have really shown their class and they deserve to play in the grand final.
“We want to wish them all the best for the finale and hope they will play well and most importantly entertaining rugby league.”
Meanwhile, a teary Kikau has revealed he feared he had blown his chance at winning an NRL premiership after being suspended during the finals.
But the Fijian enforcer will play his first game in three weeks in the grand final with Ivan Cleary to parachute the 25-year-old straight back into Penrith’s starting side.
Kikau is poised for a clash against Melbourne’s Felise Kaufusi.
For Vunivalu, this is his last NRL game. He is switching to rugby union next year and plays for the Queensland Reds.