Mission accomplished for Ratu Kadavulevu School under-14 rugby team coach Isaia Naqicatabau as he became the first Fiji secondary schools coach to win a final on Saturday during the 2022 Vodafone Super Deans Championship finals in Lautoka.
With Churchill Park filled to the brim by fans and Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union officials, teachers and the Prime Minister Voreqe Baimarama, Naqicatabua set his players lose against Marist Brothers High School in the race for the title vacated by Suva Grammar School in the semi-finals last week.
His RKS team came from behind after trailing 5-19 at halftime to win 27-19 in the end. “Keitou lako mai me mai kau na I covi. Keitou dau sega ni soli i covi (We came to bring back the title. We do not always give trophies away,” he said after the win.
Naqicatabua was a member of the Queen Victoria School that lost to Lelean Memorial School in the Deans Trophy final of 2010.
Twelve years on yesterday, he inspired his successors to claim victory at a foreign ground – Churchill Park to become the U14 champion of 2022.
“We are so happy, words alone cannot explain our excitement. Tears flowed freely and everyone celebrated. The sweet victory replaced the weeks of sacrifice, less sleep, balancing studies and hard work they had done at school.
“This win is for the QVS family, our parents, the teachers and the school management, especially our senior teams. The players vowed they would step up and some of them fasted during the week.”
“The final was very important because we were the defending champion and we came to win to make up for the loss of our senior teams. This win is for the QVS family.”
