Ratu Navula College’s under-19 rugby team plans to escalate its concerns regarding the inclusion of players from Lami High School to the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union. The Nadi-based school narrowly lost to Lami 10-13 in the Vodafone Super Deans semi-final held at Bidesi Ground in Suva.
After the loss, Ratu Navula held a meeting to discuss the next steps. Head coach Viliame Bati stated that prior discussions took place between Ratu Navula, Lami High, and the FSSRU regarding issues with players allegedly not enrolled at Lami, who were said to be from Dominion Brothers and FNU.
Bati mentioned, “We had a dialogue where we raised our concerns regarding the players who have been highlighted throughout the week, those non-students that are playing in the Lami team from Dominion Brothers and FNU.” He indicated that they sought to prevent those players from participating, but were informed by the FSSRU that any complaints should be addressed after the match.
Despite the prior agreement that certain players would not be on the field, Bati expressed surprise when the president stated that all four players were eligible to play. “Their names were written down by the secretary typed in his laptop. These four are not going to school; they’re in the Dominion Brothers team, and still this morning they are playing,” he said.
Both the coach and the players’ parents felt they were denied a fair opportunity in the match. Bati emphasized the intense commitment and hard work put in by his boys throughout the season, stating, “That was the toughest game that we have encountered. I just felt for my boys; we didn’t have a fair chance today.”
Lami High School refrained from commenting on the situation, directing inquiries to the FSSRU. Ratu Kadavulevu School had previously raised similar concerns after the quarter-finals, but a reliable source indicated that during a hearing, their claims lacked solid evidence, confirming that the questioned players were indeed registered students of Lami High School.