FIJI secondary schools rugby’s ‘holy grail’ will be fought for by familiar contenders today.
Whether it is Queen Victoria School or Ratu Kadavulevu School, the Deans Trophy has been hoisted by these two schools the most in its 88 years history.
The Victorians go in as defending champion against Ratu Kadavulevu School, who had turned the tables in the Eastern Zone competition ending as the top gun beating QVS 9-8 in the final.
Last year the RKS under-17 did not even make the quarter-final and QVS, Lelean and St John’s College represented the East zone. A couple of players from other schools like Marist have strengthened the Lodonian campaign this season
RKS led by captain Taniela Yabakidrau have considered themselves the underdogs and face the champion QVS who have retained some of last year’s winning team. Led by the rampaging loosehead prop Livai Natave, of Moala, Nadi QVS control the pace of the game whenever they decide to. RKS will have to play for territory to win and avoid the pick and drive onslaught that subdued St John’s last week.
Natave is in the Fiji under-20 squad and his dad Nemani Susu a former Deans winner for RKS and maternal grandad Waisale Mataitoga of Somosomo, Taveuni also an RKS old boy, will be at the stadium definitely cheering for both teams.
For Lodonians, the school song, noqu koronivuli uasivi (My beloved school) will rally the blue-and-gold troops on as they come prepared to do battle with the Sky Blues.
The traditional meke Valu Cibi ai Valu (RKS) and Waqavuka (QVS) are sure to be part of the antics the vocal cheering squads at the ground will engage in as they have every time the schools take part in athletics or rugby meets.
A bit of history of the Deans trophy compiled by Fiji Times writers now and past years until 2007 will add some spice for readers as we go into another traditional schools rugby rivalry.
The first student to hoist that trophy was Victorian Leqa Todua when QVS was still at Delainamasi, in Nasinu.
Schools in the Western and Southern zones have been challenging the Tailevu dominance but this year it seems all outsiders have been kept right there outside.
All RKS grades from under-14 to under-19 will feature in the final against the QVS U14, U15 U18 and Lelean U16, U17 and U19.
A lot of history is embroiled in the competition there was a time when the QVS side led by former Cabinet minister Joeli Kalou had to water polo the trophy across the Rewa River after their final match against Saint John’s College in 1957 when their match was played at Navuso.
The boat carrying the QVS side and the trophy capsized and the boys had to pass the trophy from hand to hand to prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the Rewa River.
In 1972 all RKS grades from the midget, bantam, junior and intermediate made it to the finals except for their previously Dream Team Senior, who were upset by a Lelean team.
The whole Lelean Senior team had been suspended because of a drinking incident and their Intermediate team faced RKS, coached by Master Mo Velia and beat them at Albert Park. Lelean and Marist drew and shared the trophy in the final.
A member of that Lelean team was Isimeli Radrodro who moved to RKS in 1973 and helped RKS, led by Rev Peni Cabenalevu, win the Deans. A member of that team is journalist Maika Bolatiki. Cabenalevu returned to serve at RKS and coached the team to six consecutive victories in the eighties.
Former president of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Suliasi Lutubula was head boy at QVS in 1974 when his side won the Deans beating RKS 10-4. QVS had Rabi Islander, Reverend Gills who later became a Methodist Church minister scoring the winning try against his opposite Dan Wai.
RKS led by Inoke Tuirara had teacher Samu Tuinabua, soldier Sairusi Qalivutu, former Lautoka and Nadroga coach Kamenieli Namua and current RFMF Engineering CEO Semi Mocelutu. In the side. QVS had redeemed themselves after going down 15-10 to the Lodonians in the curtain-raiser to the Fiji-All Blacks unofficial test match at Buckhurst ground, won in the final minute 14-13 by the Kiwis.
Vitogo’s Namua led the RKS team in 1975 to return the Deans to RKS.
After that the 70s saw the emergence of other schools previously regarded as minnows of schools rugby. Marist, in the mid-70s under the captaincy of Colonel Meli Saubulinayau, claimed the trophy with their rugged style of rugby, emulating the team that gave Fiji rugby Dan Lobendahn and Rodney Samuels several years earlier.
In 1979, students from Lelean embarked on a mission dubbed sinking the Bismark” after the fabled German naval ship that was believed to be unsinkable during World War II but sink it did, as did RKS at the hands of Anare Tabualevu, Elia Vesikula, Asaeli Tokalau and former army Third Infantry Regiment Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Viliame Seruvakula.
A duel developed between brothers Inoke and Sairusi Tabualevu the former the skipper at RKS and the latter skipper at LMS in 1980.
Inoke, known for his kicking skills, played with so much passion that there are reports he kicked the ball so far it almost went past the school blocks. He helped beat Sairusi’s side 4-3 in a return bout.
Sairusi moved to RKS the following year and they won the Deans that year too, with players like Major Niko Bukarau.
Younger brother Anare played rake for QVS in 1982 in a side that boasted former national skipper Mosese Taga, Bale and classmates of former interim Works Minister Jone Navakamocea.
Former national sevens rep Meli Rabonu’s Latter-day Saints College beat Marist with Tomasi Tamanivalu to book a spot in the final against RKS who won the Deans that year.
The late Elemaca Ravulo was the flying halfback of the Inoke Tawake-led QVS in 1983 who beat the heavier and taller RKS side at Nukuvuto during pool play and knows how much sweat it takes just to win a game against Lodoni.
That team had former Canterbury Crusader Paula Bale, the then Blue Ribbon sprint champ at centre and Pacific Sun chief executive Manoa Kamikamica at flanker.
QVS was trying to end a nine-year drought after that last Lutubula win. However, in the final, then national schools 200m champion and now Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu led his side to beat QVS 6-0 through the boots of fullback Orisi Tuidraki.
The other halfback that came out of the 80s era from RKS was Lautoka’s Amani Bola, nicknamed Amigo Desperado.
In 1984, Nawaka giant, Ponipate Tawase’s QVS side was beaten by Leone Leveanasiga’s RKS XV in the Deans final with Fiji rep Fotu Waqabaca.
In 1985, FRU chairman Francis Kean’s MBHS side, with former national XVs and sevens rep, Max Olsson and rugby referee Rusiate Navuso at halfback, was beaten 8-3 by Ratu Kadavulevu School, which had Fiji rep Aminiasi Radrodro and Bola.
In 1986 the emergence of a new rugby power in the South came in the likes of Willy Rokotuiviwa and the Latter-day Saints side, which had a combination of players from Suva Grammar School, Ratu Sukuna Memorial School, Nabua Secondary School.
They beat RKS in that final when the latter team was led by tough Nadroga giant Aisea Tuidriva and army officer Mika Dreu.
The following year, in 1987, RKS, under the guidance of Mika’s brother Nacani, beat LDS with former Japan rep, Bruce Ferguson by a similar margin.
In 1988 RKS, with the accurate boots of Josateki Savou, beat a fired up Nasinu Secondary School 19-17 that took up the challenge for Suva schools against the Tailevu giant.
In 1989, Dan Domoni, one of the brains behind the resurgence of Suva Grammar School rugby, led his QVS side to a draw and shared the Deans with neighbours RKS. The following year the two schools drew again.
In 1991, RKS with the likes of Etuate Lasaro, and skipper Aporosa Vinaka, and Macuata rep Kelepi Bisa, edged QVS, which had the likes of Auckland Blues and New Zealand All Black Joeli Vidiri, Naitasiri looseman Senirusi Seruvakula and Sosiceni Waqa in a ferocious battle at the National Stadium.
In 1992, Suva Grammar School led by Orisi Basiyalo met RKS, with the likes of the late Rasolosolo Bogisa and sprinter Solomone Bole, with RKS taking the ultimate prize.
In 1993, RKS won the trophy, again beating Suva Grammar with Sefanaia Basiyalo.
But in 1994, RKS came up against Lelean Memorial School led by Jovili Meo and featuring national sevens rugby rep Eparama Navale.
In 1995, RKS retained the trophy, beating LMS in the final.
Then in 1996 the boys in Blue staged a comeback led by Sairusi Ratulomai and featuring a young Yasawa islander Varayame Raitoko, who was recruited from Laucala Bay Secondary School where he played under-18 rugby as a 15-year-old and then played for Raiwaqa Colts at the age of 16.
In 1997, the same Raitoko, at 17, helped his kaivata, Paula Cirikiyasawa return the grail back to the promised land, pipping RKS which had the likes of Fiji rep the late Seru Rabeni.
In 1998, Solo Vesikula led the side that beat RKS at Ratu Cakobau Park. In 1999 he led the team again to another win when they pipped Nasinu Secondary School 10-9.
But in 2000 LMS managed to win the trophy in the Post Fiji-sponsored event, beating the Victorians in the final.
In 2001, Suva Grammar School won the trophy for the first time with the likes of Sikipio Fihaki, Waisale Levula but minus their skipper Joe Maitiro. They beat RKS at Lawaqa Park.
In 2002, RKS beat Ratu Sukuna Memorial School, which upset Maitiro’s side in the Southern Zone eliminations.
Then in 2003 QVS came back in the dying stages of the game to beat the RKS dream team at the National Stadium. In 2004, Lelean drew with QVS at the National Stadium.
QVS had the likes of the Luveniyali brothers Waisea and Rupeni. In 2005 Suva Grammar drew their match with a RKS side 19-19 that had the likes of rugby national triallist Sisa Waqa at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
In 2006 the LMS dream team, with Tomasi Mawi and Sakenasa Aca, continued its unbeaten run when it beat a heavier Suva Grammar outfit, taking the Deans to Baker Hall in Davuilevu.
Fast forward to 2017 and last week RKS beat West champions Cuvu 23-12 and QVS pipped St John’s 15-13 in the final minute.
Both teams have met in pool play QVS winning the first game and RKS winning twice including the final 9-8.
When the dust settles at the ANZ Stadium today, over 80 years of rugby history will have settled whether it be at the Promised Land or the plains of Saiyaro, where the cool creeks flow and cattle graze, the Deans Trophy will by then have returned home to a familiar environment.
