Naitasiri turns focus forward
Tuinaviti also welcomed the performance of five players who made their senior debuts.
Monday 31 August 2026 | 09:30
Naitasiri players battle hard during their 27-25 loss to Tailevu.
Photo: Ioane Asioli
Naitasiri head coach Timoci Tuinaviti says the side has put its 27-25 loss to Tailevu in the Round Five “Battle of the Kubuna” behind them and is focused on the challenge against Taveuni this weekend.
Tuinaviti said the team would use the defeat as a learning experience as they prepare for their next Skipper Cup assignment.
“It’s not about our loss but what’s next after this,” Tuinaviti told SUNsports after the match at Nakelo School grounds last Saturday.
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“It’s always a physical battle, and we thank Tailevu for giving us a lesson. So, we’ll be going back to the drawing board on Monday to sort out our weaknesses.”
Taveuni has proven to be a giant-killer this season, defeating Ba 27-25 in Round Three and Nadroga 32-22 in Round Four.
Despite their 24-13 loss to Nadi, Tuinaviti knows the island side remains capable of producing another upset.
He said Naitasiri needed to improve its execution, particularly during phase play.
“Discipline is a bit of a worry today,” he said.
“We failed to execute our phase play properly against Tailevu.”
Tuinaviti also welcomed the performance of five players who made their senior debuts.
“We fielded five new debutants, and I congratulate them for their efforts,” he said.
The experienced coach urged his players to remain composed and make better decisions when opportunities arise.
“We don’t have to go for tries, especially when awarded penalties. We were supposed to register points, but we took it to the edge,” he said.
“Otherwise, the players played 100 per cent of their rugby today.”
Tuinaviti also acknowledged the strong support from Naitasiri fans who travelled to Nakelo despite a busy week of preparations for the Methodist Church conference.
“I want to thank all the fans from Naitasiri who travelled from the highlands,” he said.
“It was a busy week preparing for the Methodist conference, so our supporters were in Suva and will head back to the hills after the match.”
Naitasiri will now regroup and prepare for Taveuni as they look to return to winning form in Round Six.
