AS you are probably reading this the national Deans quarter-finals will either be in progress or has been done with, either way all the best to all teams and remember rugby is just a means to an end, or as Navi Taka used to advise us back in school, rugby will come to end some day, always have something to fall back on in future.
Any way, I’ve always wondered why the Suva Rugby Union, which is presumably the biggest union in Fiji does not invest in the secondary schools in the Suva/Nasinu area.
We’ve heard that some of the personnel of the Nadroga Rugby Union are assisting in the preparation of Cuvu College’s attempt for the holy grail of secondary schools rugby.
If Suva were to invest in such schools as Grammar, Marist, Nasinu, RSMS, JWC to name a few, it would guarantee a wide player base and also the future of Suva rugby will be home grown. Secondary school ruggers could participate in club games before or after the Deans competition, thus giving them more game time and exposure and will also enhance their skills.
A glaring example is Ro Alivereti Doviverata and Fero Lasagavibau who both played for Nasinu in the Escott competition when on break from school and went on to represent Fiji at a young age.
Imagine if all the major unions were to follow this system, we will be churning out super stars like the bees churn out honey and thus strengthen our local rugby and ultimately all our representative teams.
I guess the head honchos can either take this on board or disregard my opinion. Either way here is wishing my brothers in red all the best in their games and remember boys go hard, play fair and always remember our motto “modest in victory and gracious in defeat”. Damudamu… mai!
