DEFENDING Digicel Cup champions Nadroga will be severely tested in one area that they have held their own in local competition and that is in the backline.
Today, they will take on the might of the capital city in one of the semi-finals of the Digicel Cup competition at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka while Tailevu faces Naitasiri at Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori.
Suva lost to Nadroga in the round robin competition but have found new form in their backline that had proven devastating in the last couple of matches.
There's no hiding the determination of Suva to create history in the next two weekends and if you follow history, then this is the kind of time when Suva wins something big in rugby.
Suva has not always been dominant in provincial rugby but once in a while they come up with a champion side that no other union can match. Many Suva fans believe this is their year.
They have never won the Digicel Cup and despite their losses to Tailevu and Nadroga, they have been able to rebuild their attacking power with the return of national sevens rep Osea Kolinisau.
Kolinisau has been impressive and continued his impressive form in his couple of games for Suva and could be the missing link to the capital's rugby campaign for supremacy this season.
The fast striking ginger-haired back is building up a devastating backline combination with the Blues and they have been striking gold in recent weeks.
The fast Suva backline played a major role in the downfall of Naitasiri and Nadi in consecutive weeks and once they tighten a couple of holes in midfield, they definitely are a formidable outfit now that we are in the business end of the rugby season.
Kolinisau, who plays for the Covenant Brothers club, plays at centre-three-quarter and combines well with his second-five Leone Tabuarua and winger Maikeli Mocetadra and they have scored some great tries following their support play.
They face Jonetani Ralulu, Jonetani Ratu and Adriu Delai and on the wings will be 2007 Rugby World Cup winger Isoa Neivua and Apisalome Waqatabu.
Naval officers make up the bulk of the team and Nadroga will be specially wary of one of their former winger Mocetadra, who scored a try for Suva last year at Lawaqa Park in the Farebrother-Sullivan trophy challenge.
Mocetadra was a thorn to the Nadroga defence and now that he has donned the Fiji jersey, he will be playing with much more confidence.
Nadroga will have bulk and mobility in their forwards with the presence of Benji Makutu, Seremaia Naurere, Setefano Samoca, Sekonaia Kalou, Rupeni Nasiga, Ulaiasi Lawavou, Sailosi Rabo and Mosese Volavola.
At Ratu Cakobau Park, a lot will also be required from the two goalkickers in Kolinio Vunaki of Naitasiri and Jaoji Dakuvula of Tailevu.
The two sides play a similar type of rugby and the intensity in the rucks, mauls and physical battles will be at its highest.
Discipline will be the key and the accuracy of the goalkickers will be of prime importance.
Former Ratu Kadavulevu School Deans trophy hooker and goalkicker Meli Neiori has joined the Tailevu squad for the last couple of matches and has been an impact player from the bench to livewire hooker Tevita Rabukawaqa.
Neiori is a member of the Army Green Club, which has reinforced the Tailevu team this year.
From RKS, he played a couple of seasons for his Davetalevu club in Rukurukulevu, Cuvu, Nadroga before joining the Army.
Tailevu's experienced players led by skipper and number eight Eseria Vueti , Jeke Lalai, Jo Dakuitoga Rabukawaqa, Mosese Vasuitoga, Aminiasi Nava and Leone Nakarawa will be hard to beat at Nausori.
Naitasiri fans travelled all the way from the hills to Ratu Cakobau Park last week but the game was postponed because of the poor ground conditions.
They are paying double and they hope that it will not all be in vain and they will travel down again for the Digicel final wherever and whenever.