Juggernauts resist Brothers

The Chemcare Juggernauts escaped a 21-15 victory over the fast-finishing Kramer APAC Brothers in Round 9 of the Pepsi Capital Rugby Union (CRU) Men’s A Grade clash on Saturday, 20 June 2026, at Bava Park. 

Going head-to-head in an important clash with valuable competition points on the line, it was a game of two halves, with the Juggernauts dominating the first half and the Brothers taking things under control in the second half.

After a few minutes of intense contest, the Brothers opened the scoring with a 3-point penalty goal. However, the Juggernauts responded with three unanswered tries, one successful conversion, and two penalty goals to lead 18-3 at the break. 

Known for being a resilient team, the Brothers picked up their rhythm in the second half, registering 2 tries and reducing the deficit to 15-18. With the match hanging in the balance, Juggernauts took a 3-point penalty goal to ice the game, leaving the final score at 21-15.   

Juggernauts coach Kumalau Gotaha attributed the hard-fought victory to the team’s defensive resolve: “My message to the boys was being disciplined in the ruck defence, and I thought we did well there.

“I also told the boys to avoid high shots. Though one of our players received a yellow card, in general, we had our ruck discipline there and strong defence, which helped us secure a crucial win.”

He admitted that despite the gritty win, they would not get ahead of themselves, noting that it’s still an early part of the season. The coach explained that they would focus on their scrum plays and set pieces. 

Coach Gotaha revealed that they had finished 5th in the last few seasons, with the players challenging themselves to step up this season to reach the finals and win the elusive silverware. 

However, with the inclusion of the Defence club following a two-year suspension, he noted that the A Grade division would be tough as the men in green seek redemption and hope to get promoted to the premier division next season.  

The Chemcare Pharmacy-sponsored Juggernauts have registered six victories and tasted three losses, sitting 5th on the A Grade competition ladder after Round 9. They will meet the second-placed Harlequins in Round 10.