Nadroga beat Northland 37-15 to retain BSP Farebrother trophy 17 July, 2011 2011 BSP Farebrother Series – Challenge 3
Saturday, 16 July 2011
National Stadium, Suva

Nadroga 37 (13)
Tries: Aporosa Tabulawaki, Sakiusa Navaka, Mitieli Nacagilevu (2), Samu Laqai Con: Jonetani Ralulu (3) Pen: Jonetani Ralulu (2)
Northland 15 (8)
Tries: Maikeli Vasole, Isake Katonibau Con: Isake Katonibau Pen: Henry Seniloli

Referee: James Bolabiu
Kick Off: 3:30 PM
Conditions: Cool, sunny and breezy
Crowd: 2500 

Nadroga players celebrate their win over Northland.

Nadroga were in superlative form today as they disposed of Northland 37-15 in the third BSP Farebrother game of the season. 

Centre Apisalome Tabulawaki opened the scoring for the hosts in the eighth minute after some good work from winger Sekove Leawere, who had come on in the first minute of the game as a blood bin replacement for Apisalome Waqatabu. Leawere collected the ball by the sideline and was strong on his feet as he held on long enough to find Tabulawaki who went through some brittle defense to score in the corner.

Nadroga were full of fire and grunt in the first period and a returning Waqatabu soon had the Northland defense stretched once again in the 15th minute. Back on the field after his blood bin, Waqatabu rounded Northland winger Malakai Sevudredre with nonchalant ease before being hauled down short of the corner in a high tackle a metre from the Northland goal line. 

On the 29th minute Nadroga’s lead was extended when exciting winger Sakiusa Navaka latched on to a Mitieli Nacagilevu pass after Nadroga’s forwards had turned the ball over out of a Northland scrum. Navaka outsprinted the Northland defense to score wide of the uprights. 

Ralulu missed the conversion however had been successful with an earlier penalty as Nadroga looked comfortable with a 13-nil lead. 

In the 36th minute though Northland came storming back, taking advantage of an extra man as scrumhalf Emosi Vucago went off to get an injured ankle strapped. With Vucago off Northland scrumhalf Henry Seniloli, from a scrum in centre field, made the bust down the middle to find Maikeli Vasole in support who just held off the covering defense of Navaka to score. 

A Seniloli penalty on the stroke of halftime put Northland firmly back in the game as the teams went into the break with Nadroga leading 13-8. 

However any hopes Northland had of overturning Nadroga’s lead in the second half were soon ground into the Lawaqa Park dust as the hosts scored three more tries to put the game out of reach of the Korovou based side. The best of the tries coming from a poor Northland clearance, from within their own 22, enabling Waqatabu to gather spectacularly and feed a lurking Nacagilevu who ran in to score. 

Nacagilevu had earlier scored the first try of the second period when flyhalf Ralulu caught the Northland defense napping by taking a quick tap from a midfield penalty, when Northland players had assumed Ralulu was shaping up to kick for goal. Ralulu found Nacagilevu who had a relatively simple run in to score. 

Next week Suva are accommodated at Lawaqa Park for the fourth challenge in the 2011 BSP Farebrother Series.