For the first time in 12 years, Nasinu Secondary School will compete in the Under-18 grand final of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Vodafone Super Deans. Their last appearance in the final was in 2012 when they lost to Queen Victoria School with a score of 31-21.
Since then, Nasinu has only managed to reach the national quarter-finals, but the current team has broken that long-standing drought, marking a new beginning in the school’s rugby history.
Queen Victoria School will again challenge Nasinu’s bid for victory, and there are high expectations for the Matavatucou side to uphold their Deans legacy. Nasinu, favored to win after their 33-20 semi-final victory over Cuvu College, aims to make its mark in the FSSRU’s history as a Deans champion.
Head coach Mika Yasiyasi stated, “After the semi-finals, we went back to the drawing board and worked on our weaknesses. Cuvu really gave us a tough match, and I thank them because they showed us what we need to improve on against our next opponent.”
The team is approaching the game with the same seriousness as any other match, focusing on precision and priority in their preparations. Yasiyasi emphasized the need to improve their strengths and set-piece work, acknowledging their lack of size as an area of focus during training. “So far, we have been trying to maintain our fitness as there is one more mountain to climb,” he added.
Support for both schools is expected to be strong, with families, friends, and fans donning their traditional blue colors on Saturday. When the final whistle blows at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on Saturday afternoon, only one team in blue will come away with a celebration.