The Vodafone Fiji Bati rugby league team faces a crucial match against the Cook Islands this Saturday if they hope to qualify for the promotion-relegation clash. This follows their recent defeat to the Papua New Guinea Kumuls, who triumphed 22-10 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva last Saturday night.
The Pacific Bowl Championship’s winner will compete against the third-ranked team in the Pacific Cup, with the finalist earning a spot in next season’s Cup championship.
Bati head coach Waisake Kativerata acknowledged that his players did not execute the game plan effectively. The Kumuls established a significant lead, ending the first half at 16-0.
“We didn’t play to our standard,” Kativerata stated. He pointed out that the team allowed four consecutive seven-tackle sets in the first half, which proved detrimental.
“Against a team like Papua New Guinea, you can’t afford to make those mistakes,” he added. Notably, the Kumuls had played an additional match compared to the Bati, with nearly 80 percent of their players involved in the game against the Australia PM’s XIII.
While the Bati managed to generate opportunities, Kativerata said they failed to capitalize due to issues with passing and timing. He emphasized that even when sets were completed, their kicking game did not perform as intended.
Looking ahead, Kativerata stated that the team is putting the loss behind them and concentrating on the upcoming match against the Aitu men. “There’s a lot to work on; we need to regroup because we only have one week until the next game,” he commented.
He also noted the importance of developing a game plan in collaboration with the coaching staff, which includes John Sutton, a prominent Rabbitohs player whose mother is from Rotuma, and Jarryd Hayne, who also serves as a mentor for the team.
In closing, Kativerata praised the forwards for their resilience during the match against the Kumuls.