Rugby League
BY PRISCILLA HARRY
The 2018 Melanesian Cup will see Fiji Nadi Aviators take on reigning champions Lae Snax Tigers at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby at 1pm tomorrow.
Both teams will go head to head in the opening encounter before the Intrust Super Cup premiers SP PNG Hunters and Brisbane Broncos clash.
From two different Melanesian countries both teams come under one PNG-based sponsor Lae Biscuit Company Limited.
The Aviators, who successfully defended their Vodafone Inter-Zone title last year, are determined to reverse the results of their past two Melanesian Club Championships and get a positive result.
Snax Nadi Aviators coach Vela Tawake said they have a much improved preparation for the game this year.
“We are very happy, the reception was very good. Almost 80 per cent of the boys are first timers to Port Moresby, and we are very excited,” he said.
“We should be expecting a very tough game this year compared to last year. We are Melanesian brothers, so we should share. It’s about time you have to allow us to take the trophy back to Fiji,” Tawake said.
He said the boys are psyched up for this match, and they had 16 weeks of preparation that was since last November.
Aviators captain and prop Josateki Sovau said they are confident of a win this time.
“Almost all the players are new to the team but their preparation for the meet has groomed them more with confidence to take on their Melanesian brothers,” he said.
“We have high respect for Lae Snax Tigers, and PNG Rugby Football League has a really high standard compared to the others.”
Sovau said last year it was a challenging feeling losing to Snax Tigers and this year they are all under one sponsor and, therefore it will be like brothers playing for the same Cup.
He extended an invitation to the Fiji community in PNG, to come and support the boys tomorrow.
“We know Tigers won’t take it easy on us but the team is looking forward to the match,” he said.