The NABUA Maroons achieved a significant victory over Police Blue in the eighth round of the FMF Suva Rugby Escott Shield competition on Saturday. The match, which doubled as the final challenge for the Esala Teleni Shield, ended with Nabua triumphing 22-17 at the USP Grounds in Laucala Bay, Suva.
This win secures the Esala Teleni Shield for Nabua for the rest of the season. Head coach Timoci Malumu expressed his satisfaction with the team’s preparation, stating, “Just like all the games we’ve played this year, we were thoroughly prepared for the match against Police. We knew we were going to be battling Police in the last challenge, so we had to prepare ourselves accordingly in the past two weeks.”
Malumu noted that the team celebrated their hard-earned victory, acknowledging the commitment and effort of the players. “In rugby, we all want to come out as winners, and the boys did all they could to achieve that result,” he added.
Notably, Simione Kuruvoli, a scrumhalf for the Flying Fijians and Fijian Drua, participated in the match for Nabua, inspiring the younger players with his skill and experience. Malumu remarked on Kuruvoli’s impact, saying, “We are grateful for Simi for showing his interest to play for Nabua. The players learned so much from him in just that one game, and his presence boosted the morale of the others in the team.”
This match also served as a preparation for Nabua ahead of the Escott Shield quarter-finals scheduled for this weekend.