Interesting is how the results of last week’s Vodafone Deans national quarter-finals have been described by Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union vice-president Biu Colati.
Colati said the results were indicative of how tough the competition has progressed and has made way for the rise of a new champion, particularly in the under-18 grade.
“The results from last week are so interesting, very interesting. Now we could see that any team can grab the titles this year,” Colati said earlier this week.
“We already into an era where this year, we will have to have a new winner.”
Colati was referring to Queen Victoria School’s exit from the Deans competition following their 20-20 draw with Nasinu Secondary School last week, which was handed to Nasinu due to the team scoring first.
“Since the team that was already onto the title has been relinquished from them during the quarter-finals, so now it’s up for grabs.”
Meanwhile, Nasinu Secondary is the only team heading into this year’s semi-finals that also appeared in last year’s semis against Cuvu College and beat them 33-20.
Nasinu meets Natabua High School this Saturday in the second U18 semi-final and Colati regarded them and the other two U18 semi-finalists, Suva Grammar School (SGS) and Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) as good teams.
“They’ve got big strengths in their way of playing and the way they execute rugby, as they showed us last weekend, these four teams are really unique in the way they play,” he said.
“And so, they are going to be a good match-up when it comes to the semi-finals this week.”
The semi-finals for the under-18 grade will be held at the HFC Bank Stadium today.
Deans under-18 semi-finals fixtures: 3.30pm – NSS v Natabua, 5pm – SGS v RKS.
The Deans semi-finals will begin at 8.30am with the U14 grade at Buckhurst Park.
One semi-final match in the U15 and 19 grades will be played at Bidesi Park.
This will see Ratu Kadavulevu School taking on Suva Grammar School at 10am, followed by the clash between Nasinu Secondary School and Queen Victoria School in the U19s.
Meanwhile, the Raluve U16 and U18 will be played at the main ground and at Buckhurst Park.