Queen Victoria School’s under-19 side booked a semifinal spot in the Southern Eastern Zone of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League after edging Namosi Secondary School 18–10 at Saint Marcellin Primary School Grounds in Suva yesterday, and were the last team to leave the venue after staying behind to help tidy the grounds.
The quarter-final victory ended Namosi’s campaign in the competition and sent QVS through to next weekend’s semifinals at the same Saint Marcellin venue. The tight 18–10 scoreline reflected a hard-fought contest in which QVS did enough to secure the win and progression to the penultimate round of the zone competition.
Also advancing were holders Ratu Kadavulevu School, who recorded a convincing 36–8 quarter-final triumph over Assemblies of God. The result sees Ratu Kadavulevu successfully defend their Bati Challenge title in the Southern Eastern Zone and maintain momentum as they move into the semifinals alongside QVS.
Beyond the results, QVS players drew praise for their conduct after play. Members of the under-19 side stayed behind after the elimination rounds to pick up rubbish and clean the school compound and grounds before departing, an initiative that left them the last group to leave Saint Marcellin. The gesture was noted by onlookers as an example of sportsmanship and respect for the venue.
With the semifinals scheduled for the same venue next weekend, local supporters can expect two of the zone’s strongest sides — QVS and Ratu Kadavulevu — to be among the contenders vying for a place in the Southern Eastern Zone final. Match-ups for the semifinals have not been announced publicly, but the outcomes of yesterday’s quarter-finals have set the stage for a competitive weekend of rugby league action in Suva.
The Southern Eastern Zone fixtures form part of the wider Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League calendar that determines which school sides advance toward national honours. For Queen Victoria School, yesterday’s win keeps their hopes alive of progressing further in the competition; for Namosi Secondary School and Assemblies of God, the quarter-final defeats bring their campaigns to a close.
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