The Outrigger on the Lagoon Nadroga will have to dig up their files and reuse the training program used in the Digicel Cup final against Naitasiri if they wish to retain the Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy in the next four challenges.
While they outscored Northland 32-5 at Lawaqa Park last Saturday, dropped passes turned the game into almost a scrappy, stop-start affair as Northland also suffered from the same.
Against tougher oppositions it could prove vital.
While some blame it on the tough defence shown by the visitors, most of the errors were unforced and fitness experts always know the reason.
Fatigue caused by lack of recovery sessions in between training or heavy training towards the end of the week is always found to be the main culprit.
Also the captain's run on the Friday afternoon sometimes turns into another grueling affair and this can be the cause.
It takes forty-eight hours for the body to fully recover after muscle tissue breakdown from training and it is wise to give the body more rest before games for it to be fully effective.
Nadroga's game depends on quick rucks and swift passing and they gradually build up a series of movements to finally hit their rhythm, but dropped balls upset the flow of their game and that is why they should just glance back at their Digicel Cup final preparations and follow it.
The Digicel Cup final was a tougher game, but the players from both teams displayed flawless ball handling and hooker Naureure scored a 100 per cent lineout throw-in accuracy. He is definitely the type of hooker Fiji needs, especially for the all important tour to the Northern Hemisphere next month.
If they drop 17 balls again against Nadi, Suva, Naitasiri or Lautoka, they will find themselves defending for the rest of the game and turnover possessions mean points on the board.
Nadi is a vanua-based team and usually Nadroga has them as final challengers every time they are in possession of the coveted trophy and Nadi does likewise.
But Nadroga has Lautoka as final challengers showing they have more hope for Lautoka winning back the trophy in case Naitasiri takes it away.
This Saturday, Nadi will want to show Nadroga why they should have been the last challengers and the Outrigger on the Lagoon-sponsored champions should be wary of the quiet storm brewing down the road.
As for quick-body recovery, there are other recovery supplements available and sold in chemists that also helps in not only giving extra energy but brings the body out of fatigue.
One product that has returned to the market is Mushashi and it has a wide range of supplement drink to help the body whether it's bodybuilding or stamina for aerobic sport and has been used for years by top Australian Rugby League teams especially the champion side Bulldogs.
The best energy drink in the Mushashi brand is the Growling Dog and while it is used during training in the week, it is also an effective half-time drink. It peps up players in the second-half like they've just got into the ground and keeps them going the full eighty minutes.
Last Saturday, Northland showed great courage playing at Lawaqa and showed glimpses of brilliance especially first-five Ilimeleki Leiloma.
His try was a sizzler as he threw a dummy before shooting past flatfooted Nadroga players to score untouched. He will be a hard man to catch in sevens rugby.
The return of Jiuta Lutumailagi on Saturday was like a breath of fresh air and showed great skills by setting up two beautiful tries with flat passes.
Meanwhile, still with Nadroga, union official Tiko Matawalu has definitely earned himself as the top contender for the administrator of the year award category in this year's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award.
Getting Fiji Rugby Union and Fiji Sports Council in this new deal augurs well for the sport.
Understandably, the council has a debt to pay off and the more games held at Lawaqa, the more revenue they will get but the increased percentage in cut as the number of the crowd increased surely strained the financial purse of the sports involved.
Matawalu and the Nadroga officials have done a lot of good to sports in Nadroga especially to the schools competitions.
On the same token the work of crowd control is the job of the council and while these arrangements had been made, the union could help out in the security by using their own officials, or reserve Nadroga squad members.
The Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy match against Nadi always draws the biggest crowd and they will be coming with all their buses and carriers this Saturday.
In 2004, fans broke down the Prince Charles Park gate as the queue was too long at the ticket stalls while the game was about to kick off.
Incidents like that are bound to happen and if it prevails, more security will have to be needed.
Luckily for Nadroga, Lawaqa is adjacent to the Sigatoka Police Station and police officers do help out in the ground.
In the promotion/relegation, Namosi won their way back into the major union with an emphatic 43-6 win over Rewa but did so in style.
Former champion Suva Grammar Deans Trophy lock Vaione Tegu, now an inmate of Naboro, was one of the stars.
Under the Yellow Ribbon program two inmates played for Namosi. One of them was Tegu and the other was Viliame Ragose.
Tegu, of Kadavu, was in 2005-2007 under the guidance of former Fiji lock and Suva Grammar principal Ilikimi Kunagogo and he had a lot of potential on the rugby field. He made some mistakes that has seen him in Naboro.
He has the size and guts to go with it and quite a character and full of fun. Now that he is back playing rugby will definitely give him another chance to get his dreams of wearing the white jersey, on track.
Former Suva Grammar coaches and teammates will be glad to hear of Tegu's progress especially his mentor at Vunaqoru Village up the Sigatoka River, Master Kunagogo.
Congratulations to Namosi coach Timoci Wainiqolo and the Yellow Ribbon project.
Here is a rugby talent that was headed for the pig pen but has been recovered.
Was lost and now it is found.