As the Vodafone Super Deans competition concluded with finals held at the HFC Bank Stadium last Saturday, participating teams etched their names in history. This observation came from Biu Colati, vice-president of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union.
Colati noted that many teams achieved unique milestones during the competition. With the event celebrating another year, remarkable performances were recorded, including Ratu Kadavulevu School, which triumphed in the under-14 grade by defeating Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School 22-8, and Lami High School, which won the under-19 title against Queen Victoria School with a close score of 20-19.
He pointed out that the rankings from regional competitions did not diminish the accomplishments of schools that may have struggled but performed impressively on a national level. For instance, Lelean Memorial School advanced to the U16 final against Suva Grammar School, securing a victory of 29-12.
“It doesn’t matter your ranking from the zone because some teams have proven, like Lelean, that even if they lost, they still reached the final,” Colati said.
Moreover, other schools made noteworthy achievements during this year’s competition, such as MGM High School reaching the U14 finals after overcoming QVS and Lelean in earlier rounds. In the U19 finals, Lami High School, appearing for the first time, surprised the favorites, QVS, in front of a spirited crowd.
Additionally, Adi Cakobau School made its inaugural appearance in the Weet-Bix Raluve Trophy U18 finals, while Niusawa Methodist High School from Taveuni reached the U16 finals for the first time, making it the only school from the northern region to do so. Niusawa faced off against 2022 champions Natabua High School but narrowly lost 20-15.
Colati expressed optimism about the future, emphasizing the positive experiences that all schools should aim for in the upcoming season. The Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union looks forward to another exciting season as more schools vie for the prestigious Deans trophy.