A mistake by the scorekeepers during the Vodafone Super Deans quarter-finals nearly resulted in a team being unjustly denied a spot in the semi-finals. The under-18 match between Cuvu College and Ratu Kadavulevu School ended in chaos as both teams celebrated at the conclusion of the game held at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
Cuvu College actually won the match 23-22, but the officials mistakenly announced a score of 20-22 in favor of RKS. Jone Kanalagi, president of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union, explained that the error occurred because a penalty try was incorrectly recorded as five points instead of the appropriate seven.
Following the match, FSSRU officials rectified the situation after a discussion with the scorekeepers prompted by Kanalagi’s demand for clarification. “After the announcement, we reviewed the score sheet and noted the error. The executives are with the recorders to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Kanalagi stated. He instructed the scorekeepers not to announce scores unless they were certain.
The announcement declaring RKS as the winners led to emotional reactions from Cuvu College players, with some found crying on the ground while RKS supporters and players were celebrating. However, their joy was short-lived as the officials reversed the decision.
Cuvu College assistant coach Samisoni Navatu clarified, “The confusion arose because we secured a penalty try that wasn’t counted, and a penalty try is worth seven points. We promptly addressed the score issue and are pleased it was corrected in our favor.”
Reports indicated that RKS had kicked the ball out after being misinformed by officials about leading the game. FSSRU vice-president Biu Colati was seen speaking with the scorekeepers in the control room following the match. Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro had previously emphasized the importance of transparency and fairness in officiating the games. RKS was not available for comment due to a media ban.