The Minister of Youth and Sports emphasized the need for equal opportunities in the current format of the Fiji Secondary School Rugby Union Vodafone Deans competition. Jese Saukuru refrained from commenting on the situation involving Bucalevu Secondary School, noting that the FSSRU and the Ministry of Education are addressing the issue.
When discussing the qualification process for the national quarter-finals, Saukuru advocated for the inclusion of maritime schools. “In my opinion, we should give everyone a fair go,” he stated.
Currently, the FSSRU allocates three slots for the Southern and Eastern Zones in the national quarter-finals, while the Western zone receives two spots. Notably, there are no designated spots for schools in the northern zone, which must compete in playoff rounds against the third-seeded teams from the south and east for a chance to advance to the national quarters.
Saukuru expressed that young athletes have been gaining recognition internationally and argued for equitable opportunities for all. “Let them show their talents; it will be a bigger and nicer story to tell when we get somebody from, say, Kadavu going right to France, and that pathway is being provided by rugby, so we have to give them that pathway,” he added.
As a result of the FSSRU’s recent decisions regarding Bucalevu, only two schools from the North have made it to the national quarter-finals scheduled for Saturday in Suva. Holy Cross College will compete in the under-15 grade, while Navatu Secondary School aims for a semi-finals spot in the U19 category. The quarter-finals of the Super Deans will take place at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva this Saturday.