Ratu Navula College’s under-19 rugby team plans to bring their complaints against Lami High School to the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union (FSSRU) following a narrow 10-13 defeat in the Vodafone Super Deans semi-final at Bidesi Ground in Suva.
After the match, Ratu Navula held a lengthy discussion to determine their next steps. Head coach Viliame Bati revealed that prior to the match, a meeting was conducted with representatives from Ratu Navula, Lami High, and the FSSRU to address specific concerns.
“We voiced our worries regarding players who have been pointed out during the week as non-students participating in the Lami team from Dominion Brothers and FNU. We aimed to prevent them from playing, but during the consultation with the FSSRU, we were told any complaints would need to be brought up after the match,” he stated.
Bati asserted that their grievances were not resolved, mentioning that despite an agreement on Friday for four players to be sidelined, they ended up playing in the match. “To our surprise, the president announced that all four boys were on the field. Their names were noted by the secretary in his laptop. These players are not attending school; they belong to the Dominion Brothers team,” he said.
The coach and the parents voiced their concerns about fairness in the competition. “If only they understood the effort our boys have put in throughout the season, their commitment to training. This is their future, and they want to showcase their talent to get scouted,” Bati expressed. “That was the toughest game we faced, and I felt our boys did not have a fair opportunity today.”
Lami High School refrained from commenting on the issue, directing inquiries to the FSSRU. This complaint echoes a similar situation raised by Ratu Kadavulevu School after the quarter-finals last weekend, where it was reported that no substantial evidence was found to support their claims. According to a reliable source, the players in question have been confirmed as registered students of Lami High School.