Suva rugby head coach Solo Nute is counting on Police Blue to successfully defend the Escott Shield against Navy in the grand final on Saturday, September 21.
“I am supporting the Police team and I hope they perform well against Navy,” he stated.
Nute highlighted that the final serves as an essential preparation opportunity as there are no other competitions like the Skipper Cup at this time, and the team’s focus is solely on the Escott Shield.
He emphasized that the Police players need to enhance their fitness levels and improve their scrum control.
“They will need to focus on game management to create more opportunities for scoring,” he added.
With the Hibiscus Festival concluded, Nute urged Suva supporters to attend the grand final in large numbers to back their teams.
He also mentioned that the Suva team will begin its pre-season training in January of the following year.
“We will evaluate the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) calendar of events and adjust our plans accordingly,” he said, noting that some players are emerging from the FRU High Performance Unit as well as the Suva setup.
Nute expressed optimism about recruiting a few players from the Fiji Under-20 squad.
“Our aim is to blend experienced players with young talent to strengthen our player pool before selecting the team for the next Skipper Cup,” he concluded.