A mistake by the scorekeepers during the Vodafone Super Deans quarter-finals nearly resulted in a team being wrongly disqualified from the semi-finals. The under-18 quarter-final between Cuvu College and Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) concluded in confusion as players from both teams celebrated following the final whistle at the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union competition held at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva yesterday.
Cuvu College had actually won the match with a score of 23-22, but the officials mistakenly announced a score of 20-22 in favor of RKS. Jone Kanalagi, president of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union, explained the mistake occurred when a penalty try was recorded incorrectly.
Following the announcement, the FSSRU executives engaged in a detailed discussion with the scorekeepers, with Kanalagi expressing his frustration over the situation. After reviewing the score sheet, they identified the error, and Kanalagi emphasized the importance of accuracy, instructing scorekeepers to refrain from announcing scores if they weren’t confident in their correctness.
When the incorrect result was declared, some Cuvu players were visibly upset, while RKS supporters celebrated, believing their team had won. However, this celebration was cut short as officials rectified the error. Cuvu College assistant coach Samisoni Navatu stated that a penalty try should have added seven points, and they promptly addressed the scoring issue, resulting in their victory.
A reliable source indicated that RKS had kicked the ball out in celebration after being told by officials that they were leading. Following the match, FSSRU vice-president Biu Colati was seen discussing the situation with the scorekeepers in the control room.
Prior to the quarter-finals, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro had emphasized the need for transparency and fairness among officials during the games. RKS was on a media ban and did not provide comments regarding the incident.