Taina Basiyalo 
In a heart-pounding Skipper Cup semi-final clash, defending champions Rooster Nadi have secured their spot in the final, setting up an exhilarating showdown with FMF Suva.
This after narrowly defeating Naitasiri with 23-21 this afternoon.
Naitasiri took an early lead, courtesy of fullback Etonia Rokotuisawa, who opened the scoring with a converted try and two successful penalties. However, Nadi displayed unwavering patience and relentlessness, eventually reaping the rewards with a try from their captain, Ilisoni Galala.
At halftime, Nadi trailed 7-13, but the second half witnessed a shift in momentum. Naitasiri found themselves on the back foot, with Motokai Murray receiving a yellow card for not releasing the ball.
Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Nadi’s forwards executed a series of pick-and-drive moves, allowing Galala to cross the try line for his second.
Rafaele Tunidau added the crucial two points with a successful penalty, further extending Nadi’s lead to 17-13.
Naitasiri continued to concede penalties, providing Navitalai Tuilawa with the opportunity to kick another successful penalty for Nadi, pushing the scoreline to 20-13.
A spirited comeback led by Vatili Vosawale brought Naitasiri within striking distance, closing the gap to 20-16. Nadi’s captain, Ilisoni Galala, received a yellow card for a disciplinary infraction, but that didn’t deter the Jetsetters from adding more points with a successful penalty, securing a 23-16 lead.
The final minutes witnessed a fierce back-and-forth battle as both teams vied for a game-changing opportunity.
In the end, Naitasiri scored the final try however, the conversion attempt was unsuccessful, resulting in a nail-biting 23-21 scoreline at the final whistle.
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