NORTHLAND'S livewire openside flanker Rosa Raravisa said his team failed to maintain their explosive first-half start because of continuous pressure from Nadroga. He said their game plan was to create an extra player while in defence.
"Our plan was to always ground the ball carrier and get back to both feet again very fast to create an extra man and we managed to do it in the first spell but we couldn't maintain it because Nadroga was too powerful," said Raravisa.
A gutsy, agile, fast and a strong tackler, he was one of only a handful of Northland players who worked tirelessly till the final whistle. A soldier by profession, Raravisa said they spent two weeks camping at the military base in Nasinu but admitted they failed to function well in the second spell because Nadroga had the depth.
On this week's Farebrother match challenge between Nadroga and Nadi, he said it would be a classic affair.
"They are both the western giant rugby teams and I expect it to be a very tough game," he added.
Nadroga won 32-5 and have four other challenges remaining with Nadi on the 22nd of this month, Suva a week later, Naitasiri on October 6 and Lautoka on October 12.