The Cakaudrove Rugby Union has booked its place in the Vanua Championship semi-finals after defeating Tavua 19-11 in a hard-fought quarter-final clash yesterday.

After bowing out in the pool stages last year, Cakaudrove has taken a major step forward, with captain Aquino Savenaca crediting the victory to God, saying the achievement would not have been possible without His guidance.

“We’re grateful for today’s win, and all the glory goes to God because without Him this victory wouldn’t have been possible. There were a few challenges during the match, but we’re thankful we got the result and have secured our place in the semi-finals.”

Savenaca also acknowledged the occasion was a special one for many of his teammates, with several players experiencing the atmosphere of a packed HFC Bank Stadium for the first time.

He admitted the nerves of playing on such a big stage affected the team’s performance at times and said they will need to improve before the semi-finals, knowing they cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes.

“We know there’s still plenty to improve before Monday’s semi-final. For many of the boys, this was their first time playing in a competition of this level, and the large crowd and atmosphere at the stadium were overwhelming. They were distracted by the occasion and the support from the stands, which affected their performance. That’s something we’ll address first before focusing on other areas of our game, because if we don’t overcome it, it could continue to impact our performances.”