Themes central to Skipper campaign

THE themes of sacrifice, discipline, resilience and belief are the common thread tying the finalists of the Skipper Cup senior men’s, under-20 and Subrails Marama Championship competitions.

This, according to Fiji Rugby Union chief executive Koli Sewabu.

Sewabu shared these sentiments at the meeting of the finalists of the three provincial competitions at the HFC Bank Stadium VIP Lounge yesterday.

“Every team that has reached the finals this weekend, they all have a story; a story of sacrifice, of discipline, of resilience and stories of belief,” he said.

He expanded these themes to teams having early morning training sessions, making long journeys, suffering difficult defeats and the unwavering support of families and communities “who have stood proudly behind their players.”

“These stories remind us that rugby in Fiji is more than just a sport. In spite of who we are, and it connects our villages, our provinces, our families and our communities, gives our young people something to aspire to and it continues to create opportunities.

“This is what we celebrate this weekend, it’s a season that has raised the standard of provincial rugby.”

This Saturday, the Skipper Cup senior men’s competition will conclude with the grand final between neighbouring rivals, Nadi and Nadroga at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

The Marama Championship will have minnows Nasinu face the defending champions Namosi face off in the female equivalent of a David and Goliath battle.

The Skipper U20 competition will also culminate with the grand final played between Nadi and Nadroga.