The guidance of former Flying Fijians forwards coach Senirusi Seruvakula proved vital in Queen Victoria School’s 27-13 victory against Nasinu Secondary School during the Vodafone Deans Trophy grand final. This information was shared with SUNsports by QVS Under-18 head coach Josaia Waiwalu on Saturday night.
Waiwalu praised Seruvakula’s role as the team’s technical coach, stating, “He is the best coach in the Pacific at the moment. We are learning a lot from him as he is also an alumnus of the school. We are grateful to have him in the team.”
Earlier this year, Seruvakula was considered for the head coach position of the Flying Fijians. He previously coached the Fijian Drua to victory in the Australia National Rugby Championship in 2018 and also led the Fiji women’s rugby team to a win against South Africa in the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Waiwalu noted that the team was well-prepared to defend their title against a strong opponent, emphasizing their main strategy for the final was to maintain possession, which proved effective. “We talked about faith at the start of the year, and we’ve finally witnessed that,” he said.
The QVS squad comprises students from various backgrounds. “We play for one another as there are many unfortunate stories, and we formed a bond to play this season for each other,” Waiwalu remarked. He expressed the significance of the victory for QVS, marking their 25th win, emphasizing, “The Deans Trophy is a property of the Tailevu schools.”
In a related note, QVS captain and first-five eighth Anare Tabakaucoro expressed his aspirations to continue his rugby journey with the Fijian Drua. “I want to play professionally and stay in Fiji to be close to my mother,” he shared with SUNsports. His leadership and composure were crucial in the final, as he aimed to give back to the school in his final year.
Tabakaucoro also highlighted the inspiration from their parents, stating, “Most of us (players) are raised single-handedly, and we as a team dedicate this win to them.”