Following the finals of the Vodafone Super Deans competition at HFC Bank Stadium last Saturday, the participating teams celebrated their achievements, marking a significant moment in the history of Fiji Secondary Schools rugby. Biu Colati, the vice-president of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union, expressed his admiration for the milestones reached by various schools during the competition.
Colati noted that as the tournament celebrated another year, schools like Ratu Kadavulevu School triumphed in the under-14 category, defeating Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School 22-8, while Lami High School claimed victory in the U19 division, edging out Queen Victoria School with a score of 20-19.
He acknowledged that rankings from regional competitions did not fully represent the abilities of schools, highlighting the exceptional performances at the national level. Lelean Memorial School, despite losing in the U16 final to Suva Grammar School with a score of 29-12, demonstrated their prowess by reaching the finals.
Colati pointed out that reaching the final was a significant achievement, regardless of prior rankings, citing Lelean’s impressive journey. Additionally, the competition featured other schools achieving notable successes. In the U14 final, MGM High School competed against RKS after securing wins against QVS and Lelean in earlier rounds.
In a surprising upset, Lami High School, competing in the U19 final for the first time, defeated the favored Queen Victoria School in front of enthusiastic supporters. Other remarkable performances included Adi Cakobau School’s first appearance in the Weet-Bix Raluve Trophy U18 final and Niusawa Methodist High School from Taveuni making it to the U16 final for the first time as well. Niusawa was also the only northern school in the finals, where they faced 2022 champions Natabua High School but narrowly lost 20-15.
Colati expressed his hopes that the positive experiences from this season would inspire all schools and teams going forward. The Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union looks forward to another exciting season, with more schools vying for the prestigious Deans trophy.