The semi-final match of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Vodafone Super Deans under-19 tournament between Naitasiri Secondary School and Queen Victoria School was marred by confusion regarding the outcome and the application of the rules. The match ended in a 24-all draw, leading Naitasiri and its supporters to celebrate, believing they had secured a spot in the final based on having scored the first try.
However, soon after, Queen Victoria School’s players celebrated as officials announced them as the winners. The match commissioner clarified to the team managers that, according to their Terms of Participation, the winner of a drawn game is determined by the team that scored the most tries. In this case, QVS had four tries compared to Naitasiri’s three.
Tensions escalated when police were called to manage the situation as parents and supporters from Naitasiri demanded clarification, accusing the FSSRU of bias. The police had to escort the match commissioner to safety amidst the chaos, while players called for a rematch.
Navitalai Waiwalu, an executive member of the FSSRU, confirmed that the rule in question has been consistently applied since last year across various zones, and all participating zones had been consulted about the rules.
Naitasiri team manager Akanisi Liku stated that they accepted the results, acknowledging a misunderstanding regarding the rules. They had initially believed that scoring the first try would determine the winner in a draw, but recognized that the regulations clearly outline different criteria.
During the match, Naitasiri had taken a commanding 17-7 lead at halftime, but after extending their lead to 24-7 in the second half, QVS rallied back with three unconverted tries, eventually ending the match in a tie.
The FSSRU regulations specify that in the event of a draw, the winner is determined first by the number of tries scored, then by converted tries, followed by the team that scored the first try, and finally, the team that scored the first points if the tie persists.