Despite being limited to limited training in Port Morseby, Fiji officials anticipate NRL rookie of the year Sunia Turuva will play in Sunday’s Pacific Championships Test against Cook Islands.
Due to a boil on his wrist, Turuva avoided contact during the training session on Thursday at Santos National Football Stadium by working out alone.
To keep their dreams of making it to the Pacific Bowl final on November 5 alive, the Cook Islands must win Sunday’s game against the Bati, and the Panthers premiership winner is anticipated to be a vital player for the Bati.
Jarome Luai, a teammate from Penrith, underwent surgery on the shoulder he dislocated toward the end of the regular season before resuming play in the preliminary final and championship game.
Luai, who has been ruled out of Samoa’s Pacific Championship campaign, left the field in the 51st minute of the grand final carrying his left arm and watched on from the sidelines as Nathan Cleary masterminded the biggest comeback in grand final history.
Cleary suffered a dislocated finger at training on the eve of the preliminary final but played through pain to lead his team to a third straight premiership.
The champion halfback also suffered a knee injury in the decider against the Broncos.
Meanwhile, Cook Islands halfback Tevin Arona has been cleared of a spinal fracture after being injured in the opening set of tackles in the Pacific Championships clash with Papua New Guinea.
Arona, who plays for Auckland Vulcans in New Zealand, was stretchered from Santos National Football Stadium in a neck brace and medical staff kept him immobilised while they assessed his condition.
He was later taken to Port Moresby International Hospital for precautionary scans and is reported to have suffered a facial fracture in the incident.
Cook Islands prop Makahesi Makatoa played just five minutes of the match before he was forced off with a suspected pectoral injury.
Fiji Bati open their campaign against Cook Islands in week two of the Pacific Championships without hooker Api Koroisau, who made himself unavailable due to a calf injury.
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