Rough Tactics Jolted Young Bati Reps, Says Coach
The rough tactics young Vodafone Fijian Bati players received from a rugged Scottish outfit was much-needed before Sunday’s Rugby League World Cup quarterfinal clash against New Zealand.
“We needed it,” interim Bati head coach Wise Kativerata said after the Bati’s 30-14 win.
“We needed to work on our attack because we’ve been working hard on our defence.”
Majority of the current Bati players are aged between 19 to 23-yearsold with seasoned campaigners like captain, Kevin Naiqama, Korbin Sims, Api Koroisau, Tui Kamikamica and Henry Raiwalui holding the team together. Even Parramatta Eels star winger Maika Sivo, Canberra Raiders Semi Valemei along with Panthers’ Sunia Turuva and Brandon Wakeham of the Canterbury Bulldogs are playing in their first World Cup.
Others who are on the brink of breaking into the Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) include, Taniela Sadrugu of the North Queensland Cowboys, Penioni Tagituimua of the Bulldogs along with Vuate Karawalevu and Siua Wong of the Sydney Roosters.
“We’ve got to look at how we performed. We know we’ve got the team to play New Zealand. We’ve just got to go Monday, switch on and turn it on, we train and work towards New Zealand,” Kativerata said.
“We can take the momentum, we’ve got a lot of upside in our squad. When you look at the squad we’ve got the younger squad, so when we play our style of football our energy goes up, everything goes up.” Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Michael Maguire is not expecting a repeat of the last World Cup where they lost 4-2 to the Bati in Wellington, which ended David Kidwell’s tenure as head coach and a review, which highlighted a number of serious problems inside the team.
“I wasn’t there, so I had nothing to do with that,” Maguire said.
“For myself, I’ve got a pretty strong team. I’m really pleased with where the players are at.”
From here on, there won’t be any rotation in the Kiwis squad, as they’ve reached the lose and go home part of the World Cup and Maguire says he’s close knowing what his best team is, although the spine of Brandon Smith, Dylan Brown, Jahrome Hughes and Joey Manu appears locked in.
Results: Tonga 92-10 Cook Islands, France 4-62 Samoa, Lebanon 74-12 Jamaica.
Quarters; Australia v Lebanon, England v Papua New Guinea, Fiji v New Zealand, Tonga v Samoa.
Story By: Leone Cabenatabua
Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj
