Discipline and leadership are the key focus areas for the Queen Victoria School Under-18 team as they prepare to face Marist Brothers High School in the quarterfinals of the Vodafone Deans Trophy at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. Captain Anare Tabakaucoro shared his thoughts during an interview, emphasizing respect for their opponents despite Marist’s third-place finish in their zone competition.
Tabakaucoro, who is new to the QVS team, expressed the challenges of integrating into a squad that he did not play with last year. He mentioned he draws from the experiences of the previous team regarding preparation and execution, acknowledging that their efforts led to their success in winning the Deans Trophy last season.
He underscored the team’s commitment to playing for one another, their families, friends, and alumni, citing their parents’ sacrifices as a significant motivating factor. Many team members come from distant regions, and some have been raised by single parents, which strengthens their resolve to perform well in every game.
Despite his valuable experiences with the Fijian Warriors and Fiji Under-20 teams, Tabakaucoro remains humble and attributes his achievements to a higher power, stating that the focus is not on defending their title but on striving to win it again this year.
In contrast, the manager of the MBHS Under-18 team stated they prefer to maintain a low profile and declined to participate in interviews.