All participating schools were provided with a clear set of rules and regulations before the season began, according to Fiji Secondary School Rugby Union vice-president Savenaca Muamua. Muamua confirmed that the terms of participation were clear and had been distributed to all schools.
“The laws and rules have been in place for the last decade, with no changes,” he stated. He added that the terms of participation aligned with the laws of the Fiji Rugby Union and World Rugby, emphasizing that there were no excuses for breaching the rules.
His comments followed the disqualification of the Bucalevu Secondary School under-17 team for including an unregistered player, a decision that has sparked considerable controversy and debate. Muamua compared the situation to a player from Suva playing for a Lautoka team, which would also be a breach of regulations.
“This incident serves as a reminder to all teams about the necessity of proper registration and adherence to the competition’s guidelines,” he said. He also noted that the school had not paid the fee required to appeal the decision, implying their agreement with it.
Nabua Secondary School has taken Bucalevu’s position in the U17 Deans national quarter-finals.