SUVA Grammar School’s under-18 rugby side got a timely hit-out ahead of the Southern Zones competition, edging Queen Victoria School 15-5 in a thrilling warm-up clash at Grammar’s school ground yesterday.
Team manager Evia Turaganivalu said the result was the goal of testing combinations and applying what the players have learned in training.
“We’ve informed them that this is a friendly match. It’s not about winning, it’s about running whatever they’ve been learning,” she said.
Despite the wet conditions following heavy rain on Monday, both sides produced an entertaining contest.
She shared the muddy ground condition as a factor, with ground markings only completed in the morning of the match after earlier attempts were prevented by the weather.
Turaganivalu said the match served its purpose, giving the coaching staff a clearer picture of areas that need improvement before the Fiji Secondary Schools Deans Trophy Southern Zone competition begins.
Discipline emerged as one of those concerns, with Grammar shown two yellow cards during the match.
“We would like to have a disciplined team and play disciplined rugby, so the coaches will work on that,” she said.
The fixture was also Grammar’s first warm-up outing of the season, with more matches likely if other schools come forward.
Turaganivalu highlighted the role of the extended squad, which will eventually be trimmed to 35 players in line with Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union requirements.
She acknowledged the players in maintaining commitment to early-morning training sessions.
The team have also paid tribute to the parents, old scholars and the wider school community for their unwavering support, saying their contribution continues to boost the team’s morale as they build towards the Fiji Secondary School Rugby Deans trophy season.
