RATU Kadavulevu School’s under-17 side has one final hurdle standing between it and national glory.
After powering past Ba Methodist High School 47-29 in last Saturday’s semifinal, RKS now turns its attention to Suva Grammar School in what promises to be a compelling Vodafone Super Deans Championship U17 final at the HFC Bank National Stadium in Suva on Saturday.
The Lodoni school has travelled a demanding road from the pool stages to the national final, but the semi-final victory also provided a timely warning.
Despite building a commanding score, RKS allowed Ba Methodist back into the contest in the second half — a lapse assistant coach Kemueli Raiqeu knows cannot be repeated against Grammar.
“We had identified some of the weaknesses, especially towards the end of the game,” Raiqeu said.
“We will try and polish them next week so that we can come prepared for next week’s final.”
For RKS, discipline and execution will be the defining factors.
The coaching staff has identified the areas that need attention, with the players now tasked with producing a more complete 70-minute performance when the national title is decided.
“The boys had only one aim today (last Saturday) and that was only to win,” Raiqeu said of the semi-final.
That same mindset will be required against Grammar, with RKS refusing to look beyond the task in front of them.
“We will have to play according to our game plan. Our main aim is to win the final,” Raiqeu said.
The final is also more than a chance to claim national honours. For RKS’s young players, it is another important step towards next year’s international challenge, with the squad already preparing for the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament.
But before they can think beyond Saturday, RKS must first finish the job.
The journey from the pools has brought them to the biggest stage — now discipline, composure and execution could decide whether the trophy heads back to Lodoni.
The U17 final kicks off at 12.40pm.
Meanhile, the U18 division final between Lelean Memorial School and Suva Grammar School kicks off at 6.10pm.
