The new U18 competition format for the Fiji Secondary School Rugby Union (FSSRU) Dean’s Competition has revitalised the Northern Schools Rugby Zone Deans competition.
Schools, alumni and their respective Vanua are rallying passionately behind their senior teams for a coveted spot in the national playoffs this year.
Under the revised structure, a 16-team playoff round will be introduced, featuring four teams from each of the country’s four zones – a significant boost for northern schools, which in previous years were only guaranteed two places in the national playoffs.
The remaining two spots were contested against schools from other zones that had lost their respective zone playoff finals.
Rupeni Vulaca, President of the Fiji Schools Rugby Northern Zone competition, said the opportunity is long overdue, with underdog schools now challenging the established northern rugby hierarchy for a place in the playoffs.
“For the Northern Zone, our under-18 grade, this new format has given a lot of opportunities for some new schools to surface in the rugby arena,” Vulaca explained.
In the Bua subzone, Ratu Luke Secondary School has emerged as the top qualifier, displacing two of the zone’s rugby giants.
“The Bua zone has always been dominated by Bua Central College and Immaculate Conception College in the senior grade,” Vulaca said. “Now Ratu Luke Secondary School is the new champion and will qualify to the playoff from their zone.”
The effects of the new format have also inspired Holy Cross College to claim the Taveuni zone title, displacing traditional powerhouse Bucalevu Secondary School and securing the second northern zone spot in the national playoffs.
In the Macuata zone, Shiri Guru Nanak Khalsa College, an Indo-Fijian dominated school, has claimed the top seed, while Navatu Secondary School holds the number one position in the Savusavu zone.
Vulaca emphasised that the new format not only guarantees a fairer playing field for northern schools in the FSSRU National Deans competition but also provides clearer pathways for northern talent to progress into national rugby teams.
Today’s fixtures:
Venue: Wairiki Grounds, Taveuni
9am: Raluve U18 Saint Bedes College (SBC) v Bucalevu Secondary School (BSS). 10am: Deans U16 Holy Cross College (HCC) v SBC. 11.10am: Deans U18 HCC v Navatu Secondary School
Venue: All Saints Grounds
9am: Deans U17 Nabala Secondary v Batinikama College
10.25am: Deans U16 Labasa College v Bua College
10.40am: Raluve U18 Khalsa College v Bua College
12.40pm: Deans U18 Khalsa College v Ratu Luke Secondary School
