Ratu Navula College’s under-19 rugby team plans to present its concerns about Lami High School to the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union. The Nadi-based team lost narrowly to Lami, with a final score of 10-13 during the Vodafone Super Deans semi-final held at Bidesi Ground in Suva.
Following the match, Ratu Navula held lengthy discussions regarding their next steps. According to head coach Viliame Bati, a meeting took place on Friday involving Ratu Navula, Lami High, and the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union to address grievances concerning players on the Lami team who were allegedly not students at the high school.
“We had a dialogue where we raised our concerns regarding players who have been highlighted throughout the week, specifically those non-students from Dominion Brothers and FNU playing for Lami,” Bati stated. Despite expectations that these players would sit out the match, Bati expressed disappointment that they were permitted to play.
“We had agreed on Friday that those four boys would not participate, yet to our surprise, the president announced that they were all playing. Their information was documented, but these players are not attending school and still played yesterday,” he added.
The coach, along with parents, felt the integrity of the game was compromised. Bati emphasized the hard work and commitment demonstrated by his players throughout the season. “This was the toughest game we’ve faced, and I felt we did not have a fair chance today,” he said.
Lami High School has opted not to comment on the situation, deferring all inquiries to the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union. Ratu Kadavulevu School previously raised similar concerns following the quarter-finals, but a source indicated that their claims were found to lack substantial evidence during a hearing last Wednesday, confirming that the questioned players were registered students at Lami High School.