Ba Provincial Freebird Institute’s under‑19 side, the Ba Pro Dragons, will meet Queen Victoria School in the feature match of the Fiji Secondary School Rugby League semi‑finals this Saturday at Churchill Park, the latest development in the schools’ competition ahead of the season decider.
The Dragons return to the penultimate stage on the back of last year’s runners‑up finish and a significant squad overhaul. Team manager Shivika Sharma said the group has undergone a major transition, with "most of the players from our U17 team last year" stepping up into the U19 grade. That U17 cohort made history by winning their grade last season, and Sharma says the winning mentality has been carried forward into the current campaign.
“We have a totally new team this year. Most of the players from our U17 team last year have now joined our U19 team,” Sharma said, underlining how the promotion of an entire age group has reshaped the Dragons’ lineup. The youthful nucleus arriving from a title‑winning U17 side has raised expectations in Ba, where hopes are high that momentum can be converted into a first‑time schools’ final appearance since last season’s near miss.
Sharma tempered optimism with caution, acknowledging the quality of the opposition. “The boys are ready to go and play. We understand QVS will also come with a lot of expectations. It will be a tough match against them,” she said, signalling that the semi will be a stern test for the inexperienced but confident Dragons.
Home advantage looms large for Ba, with strong backing expected from fans, old scholars and the local community when the teams take the field. “For us, our whole support will be there. We are playing in front of our home crowd and old scholars, and we are looking forward to a great game,” Sharma added, pointing to the potential lift the players may gain from a partisan Churchill Park crowd.
The squad’s depth has also been bolstered by links to higher‑level pathways: eight members of the Ba Pro Dragons are included in the Kaiviti Silktails extended squad. Sharma said those players bring added experience and confidence to the lineup, a factor that could prove decisive in tight moments during the semi‑final.
With youth, a winning culture from the U17s, home support and several players drawing experience from the Silktails setup, the Dragons will be aiming to go one step further than last year and book a spot in the final. The result on Saturday will determine whether Ba’s new generation can match their predecessors’ success and push on toward championship glory.
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