Former Flying Fijians forwards coach Senirusi Seruvakula played a crucial role in Queen Victoria School’s 27-13 victory over Nasinu Secondary School in the Vodafone Deans Trophy final. This information was shared with SUNsports by QVS Under-18 head coach Josaia Waiwalu.
Waiwalu highlighted Seruvakula’s impact by stating, “He is our technical coach. He is the best coach in the Pacific at the moment. We are learning a lot from him as he is also an old boy 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 led the Fijian Drua to victory in the Australia National Rugby Championship in 2018 and coached the Fiji women’s rugby team during the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2022, where they triumphed over South Africa 21-17. Last year, he also served as the forwards coach for the Flying Fijians during the Rugby World Cup, where the team reached the quarterfinals.
Waiwalu expressed that the team came well-prepared to defend the Deans Trophy. He noted that their strategy leading into the final focused on maintaining possession, which ultimately proved successful. “We talked about faith at the start of the year, and we’ve finally witnessed that,” he added. Waiwalu emphasized the diverse backgrounds of the players and the strong bond they formed, dedicating their season to playing for each other.
This victory is significant for Queen Victoria School as it marks their 25th Deans Trophy win. “The Deans Trophy is a property of the Tailevu schools,” Waiwalu mentioned.
Furthermore, QVS captain and first-five eighth Anare Tabakaucoro expressed his aspirations to advance his rugby career with the Fijian Drua, stating, “I want to play professionally and stay in Fiji to be close to my mother.” Tabakaucoro played a key role in the final, maintaining composure and effectively controlling the game. He remarked, “This is my last year, and I want to give back to the school. Our parents have been very inspirational. Most of us players are raised single-handed, and we as a team dedicate this win to them.”