Valley Hunters Continue Winning Streak

The reigning champions of Capital Rugby Union, Valley Hunters, flexed their muscles in the preseason games, recording three straight wins against the Harlequins, Juggernauts, and MBB Marlins.

On Saturday (March 15th) at Bava Park, the Valley Hunters and MBB Marlins put on a slugfest contest. The Gerehu lads came prepared to stop the high-flying Valley men. 

After 40 minutes of intense and physical battle, no team managed to cross over the try line, leaving the half-time score at nil-all. 

The second half was a one-sided affair as the Hunters found their rhythm and scored three unanswered tries, while the Marlins bagged a consolation try, ending the match with a 24-5 margin. 

The men from Ensisi Valley had 4 yellow cards and one red card in the first half and played with 14 men for 60 minutes, but they competed valiantly and showcased their premiership pedigree.

Despite a poor start and ill-discipline, coach Frank Genia was pleased with the Valley Hunters’ determination to stay in the fight and finish the game strongly.

“I’m happy with the win, considering we played with 14 men for 60 minutes,” the defending premiership coach said.

“The players had good mental resolve and trust in each other. They will take a lot out of this performance.” 

Although the Valley Hunters have remained undefeated in the CRU preseason challenge after three games, Genia admitted they would not rest on their laurels as there’s still more work to be done.

“There’s been steady improvement in our preseason games, but we still have a lot to work on. Building cohesion and capacity is the focus at the moment,” he said.

“We have to be smart in our decision-making and understanding what to call and when. There are different elements to it - such as communication, ball movement, and field positioning - to name a few.”

The Valley Hunters lost some players to the rival clubs but welcomed new additions to the team. Genia said he would blood in emerging talents, coupled with the old and new players, by adjusting and evolving their game. 

With a few more preseason games to play and the proper season looming around the corner, Genia noted that their focus for the 2025 CRU campaign was to improve as a team, be happy, and play consistent footy.

“We want to keep building, learn some new things along the way, and of course, have fun. We play the game because we enjoy it. That’s our focus,” he said.