Wise Kativerata, the head coach of the Vodafone Fiji Bati, has announced plans to meet with the coaching staff to develop a strategy for their upcoming match against the Cook Islands Aitu in the 2024 NRL Pacific Championships. His comments came during a post-match press conference alongside captain Tui Kamikamica after their team suffered a 10-22 loss to the Papua New Guinea Kumuls on Saturday night.
Kativerata emphasized the need for the team to regroup and improve, acknowledging the limited time they have to prepare for the next game. “We have a lot to work on as a group, we need to regroup, because we only got one week from this week (last week) and next week (this week) and keep going,” he stated. He added, “I need to sit with the coaching staff and come up with a plan, our plan is very simple.”
During the match, the Kumuls took advantage of kick attempts made by the Bati, which aimed to advance into their territory. This strategic decision allowed the Kumuls to score tries through players such as Robert Derby, Judah Wimbu, Sylvester Namo, and Nene McDonald. Despite the setbacks, Kativerata praised the tenacity of his forwards, who continually pushed towards the try line.
“Full credit to our forward play, they don’t give up, they keep going and going and from that, we defend it,” he said, reflecting on their performance. He noted the team’s repeated efforts to reach the Kumuls’ try line, despite losing possession.