Suva rugby head coach Solo Nute is counting on Police Blue to successfully defend the Escott Shield against Navy in the upcoming grand final on Saturday, September 21. Nute expressed confidence in the Police team, stating, “I’m with the Police team and I hope they do well against Navy.” He emphasized the significance of this final, noting the lack of other competitions similar to the Skipper Cup and focusing on the Escott Shield.
Nute highlighted the need for Police players to boost their fitness levels and improve their scrum control. He remarked, “They will need to prioritize game management in order to have more options before scoring points.” With the Hibiscus Festival behind them, Nute called on Suva supporters to come out in large numbers to back their team in the grand final.
Looking ahead, Nute announced that the Suva team will start its pre-season training in January next year. He mentioned the need to align their schedule with the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) calendar of events. Nute noted the emergence of new talent from the FRU High Performance Unit and the Suva setup, and he is optimistic about recruiting a few players from the Fiji Under-20 squad.
“We aim to blend experienced and young players to strengthen our player pool before selecting the team for the next Skipper Cup,” Nute added.