SUVA Grammar School’s under-18 rugby side used a hard-fought 15-5 win over Queen Victoria School in a wet and muddy warm-up clash at Grammar’s grounds yesterday to sharpen combinations ahead of the Fiji Secondary Schools Deans Trophy Southern Zone competition.
Team manager Evia Turaganivalu said the primary aim of the fixture was to test patterns and implement training work rather than focus on the result. “We’ve informed them that this is a friendly match. It’s not about winning, it’s about running whatever they’ve been learning,” she said, noting the game gave coaches a clearer picture of where to target improvement before the Southern Zones begin.
Heavy rain on Monday left the pitch sodden and organisers only managed to complete ground markings on the morning of the match after earlier attempts were thwarted by the weather. Despite the conditions both schools produced an entertaining contest, Turaganivalu said, although the muddy surface was a factor in the performance of both sides.
Discipline emerged as an area of concern for Grammar. The side received two yellow cards during the match and Turaganivalu flagged that as a priority for coaches in coming sessions. “We would like to have a disciplined team and play disciplined rugby, so the coaches will work on that,” she said, underlining that aspects beyond skill—such as discipline and composure—will be emphasised during the final weeks of preparation.
Yesterday’s fixture was Grammar’s first warm-up outing of the season; Turaganivalu said more matches are likely if other schools make themselves available. The game also served to evaluate a larger training group: the extended squad will eventually be trimmed to 35 players in line with Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union requirements as the team finalises selections for the Deans Trophy campaign.
Turaganivalu praised the players’ commitment to early-morning training and acknowledged the continuing support from parents, old scholars and the wider school community. She said that contribution remains a vital morale boost as the team builds towards the Deans Trophy season.
As the Southern Zone competition approaches, Grammar’s coaching staff will use the lessons from the QVS friendly—particularly around discipline and adaptation to difficult playing surfaces—to refine combinations and shore up areas of weakness identified in yesterday’s hit-out.