The Lami High School Under-19 rugby team remained unaffected by the criticisms and allegations directed at them during the Vodafone Deans Trophy finals, as confirmed by head coach Beniamino Kakaivalu after their 20-19 victory over Queen Victoria School at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
Kakaivalu shared that the players had maintained a social media blackout, which he believed helped them concentrate on their performance and shielded them from negativity.
He emphasized that this victory marks the beginning of a larger plan, aiming to field an Under-18 team in the upcoming year to compete for more titles.
Reflecting on their journey, Kakaivalu noted the challenges they faced, including traveling to Vanua Levu for national qualifiers, where they narrowly defeated Dreketi Central College 24-21. They went on to achieve remarkable victories in the national quarterfinals against Ratu Kadavulevu School (11-5) and Ratu Navula College (13-10) in the semi-finals.
Kakaivalu instilled confidence in his players during these matches, reminding them that the name of their opponent should not intimidate them, as the players fought fiercely in every game, which was evident in their final match.