Nadi targets scrum improvement after Suva scare

McDonald’s Nadi head coach Cohen Politini says his side must improve its scrum after surviving a strong second-half fightback against Suva in their round three Skipper Cup clash at the National Stadium last Friday.

They will host Tailevu on Saturday in their round four clash this week.

Nadi defeated Suva 31-26 to secure its third consecutive victory.

Despite securing their third win, Politini identified the scrum as a major area that needs improvement, particularly against bigger packs.

“It is still early days, and there is a lot of work for us to do.

“One major area is the scrum. We knew Suva had a heavy pack and they came at us,” he said.

Politini told SUNsports their performance exposed areas that need attention before their next match.

“It was a game of two halves. We didn’t do as well in the second half as we did in the first half, but there are a lot of learnings for us,” he said.

Politini said the early substitutions were part of the team’s plan to give younger players valuable exposure at Skipper Cup level.

He said Nadi managed to hold its own in the first half, but the replacements struggled when introduced.

“We held well in the first half, but our substitutes were an issue. We will work on that in the coming week,” Politini said.

Politini thanked the team’s sponsors and supporters, including those who travelled to Suva to watch the match.

“Many thanks, especially to McDonald’s and all our sponsors back home, and to the fans who travelled here to be with us.