A total of 28 schools will participate in the 2023 Vodafone Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League competition which kicks off in two weeks time.
South-East FSSRL zone president Senai Qalituraga said there were a few schools joining the competition for the first time, one of those being Wainimala Secondary School.
“Yes, we’ve had a few schools come on board into the competition and this shows that rugby league continues to grow each year,” Qalituraga said.
He said the rugby league schools’ competition was among some of the much-awaited sporting events that students prepared for throughout the year and had been a breeding ground for players who had gone on to represent the country at the international level.
“Competitions like the Vodafone Deans Trophy, rugby league and the Coca-Cola Games have always been well-received by students of all schools over the past decades.”
According to Qalituraga, a handful of students have received and signed scholarships with overseas rugby clubs over the years.
“This shows how much rugby has developed in Fiji. It is no longer a sport, but a business and has become a livelihood for many Fijian players.
“A good example is Eparama Kikau of Marist Brothers High School. He is only 17 years old and he has already joined the development team for the Cowboys.”
Qalituraga said helping players get scholarships and contracts were one of the purposes of hosting those high school competitions.
“All of these competitions are held to help us discover talents and help our children become the best versions of themselves.”
Qalituraga said parents, supporters and fans of schools rugby league could expect a very interesting competition this year as schools had already been training since last year and were ready to showcase their talents.
“Students now are aware of how rugby is slowly becoming a business and are going all out in training sessions, hoping to catch the attention of international scouts during their games.”
All finals of the Fiji Secondary School Rugby League competition will be held at Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori.
Meanwhile, Fiji Secondary School Rugby League will be hosting a launch for the competition next Thursday before the competition’s first game two days later.
