The Vodafone Fiji Bati rugby league team faces a crucial match against the Cook Islands this Saturday, as they must secure a victory to move on to the promotion-relegation match. This situation arises following their recent defeat to Papua New Guinea Kumuls, with a score of 22-10 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva last Saturday night.
The champion of the Pacific Bowl Championship will earn the opportunity to compete against the third-ranked team from the Pacific Cup, and the victor will advance to the Cup championship next season.
Bati head coach Waisake Kativerata acknowledged that his players did not execute their game plan effectively. The Kumuls took control of the match early, leading 16-0 at half-time.
“We didn’t play to our standard,” Kativerata stated. “In the first half, we allowed four consecutive seven-tackle sets, which made a significant difference. Against a team like Papua New Guinea, you cannot afford to do that. Many of their players had already competed in a match the previous week.”
He noted that while the Bati players created scoring opportunities, they failed to capitalize on them due to issues such as late passes from the dummy half. Kativerata emphasized the need for improvement in their overall play, particularly in their kicking game.
Moving forward, the coach stressed that the team is focused on their upcoming game against the Aitu men, stating, “We have a lot to work on; we need to regroup as we only have one week until the next game. I need to discuss strategies with the coaching staff.”
The coaching team includes former Rabbitohs player John Sutton, whose mother is from Rotuma, and Jarryd Hayne, who also serves as a mentor for the squad. Kativerata expressed appreciation for the determination shown by the forwards in their match against the Kumuls.