THE annual East versus West rugby league challenge that was to be played tomorrow has been moved to next week.
This was after selectors of the East team were unable to finalise a squad for the challenge following a gruelling East Inter-zone competition at Albert Park in Suva yesterday.
Suva beat Nasinu 36-20 in the first match and drew with Coral Coast in the second match 20-all. Nasinu edged Coral Coast 26-22 in the final match of the day. A win a draw allowed Suva to reign victorious in the premier competition. Fiji National Rugby League development officer Sale Tubuna said the selectors of the eastern team would meet on Monday to finalise a squad for the East versus West challenge.
He said the sudden increase in the player base in all zones had made the selection process difficult.
“As of now, the East versus West that was to be played on Saturday (tomorrow) has been put on hold,” Tubuna said.
“Firstly the eastern team has not been finalised and having one day rest before another challenge will not be enough for the players,” he said.
“So we are looking at having the challenge sometime maybe midweek and in either Nadi or Sigatoka, the venue will be confirmed later.”
Tubuna said nearly every player that played in the inter-zone competition gave the selectors something to think about.
He said players that performed consistently in the Vodafone Cup competition in the inter-zone had more chances of making the cut for the teams for the East versus West challenge.
“The increase in player base had made selection difficult because they all play well but we have to look at a lot of factors like experience, positional play and consistency.