Taina Basiyalo 
FIJI Water Flying Fijians squad member and Nadi Rugby captain Rupeni Naruma is throwing his support behind his Nadi brothers as they prepare for a crucial Skipper Cup semifinal clash against Naitasiri this Saturday.
With a place in the final at stake, Nadi will be determined to make home advantage count after booking their semifinal spot with a convincing 38-23 win over Ba in the quarterfinals over the weekend.
Naitasiri, however, will arrive with confidence after knocking out defending champions Malolo 15-11, setting the stage for a fierce battle between the two sides.
Although national duties will keep Naruma in Japan as the Flying Fijians prepare for their centennial Test, the Nadi captain says his heart remains with his teammates as they chase a place in the final.
“To my brothers, i’m wishing you all the best in this weekends clash. I know you are all gearing up for a tough match and I will be backing you all the way from Japan.”
Having fallen short at the semifinal stage last season, Nadi will be eager to go one better this year, with Naruma sending a message of encouragement to the team ahead of the crucial encounter.
Nadi will host Naitasiri at 3pm this Saturday at Prince Charles Park, while Nadroga takes on Tailevu at the same time at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, with both semifinal winners advancing to the Skipper Cup final.
