Mataiasi Stark 
Source : FBC sports / Facebook
Malolo may have fallen short in their opening Skipper Cup clash against Naitasiri, but captain Imanueli Bari believes it was a vital learning experience for the young side.
The 39–16 loss marked their return to top-tier provincial rugby after almost a decade, and despite the result, Bari says the team is determined to grow from it.
With many fresh faces in their squad, the captain is optimistic the early challenges will only make them stronger.
“Yes, a lot of learnings for us. Most of our players are young. We learned a lot from Naitasiri and we will go back to the drawing board, learn from this, identify our weaknesses and come back stronger.”
Bari also acknowledged the strength of their opponents, saying they always expected a battle from the defending champions.
“We came here expecting a tough match from Naitasiri as they’re a champion team and we’ve been watching them in the top level for the past few years. But nevertheless, we’re happy to be back in the top level after almost a decade.”
Malolo will now shift their focus to Round 2 of the Skipper Cup, hoping to bounce back at home in Yawini Park against Ba.
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