It’s the culmination of a five-year journey for the Ratu Kadavulevu School under-18 Deans team, which saw them win the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Vodafone Super Deans final.
The Lodoni in Tailevu based school thumped Nasinu Secondary School 53-15 to lift the coveted trophy last night.
And for winning coach Isaia Naqicatabua, he said it was the realisation of a vision conceived when the squad was still in the under-14 grade.
“I think we had a vision, a mission to come and win the Deans in our years,” Naqicatabua explained.
“All throughout these years, starting from 2021 when these boys came in as year nine students. I believe there was a drought in RKS – two, three years. So that’s too long for RKS to win the Deans. Very long.”
“And what they want to achieve is to win the Deans for RKS before they leave the gates of RKS and they did it today (last night).”
RKS bagged the Deans title after a lapse of seven years, the last time being in 2018 when the school won 20-0 over Cuvu College in the final.
During the match against Nasinu, RKS set an early lead during the first half and led 22-8 at half-time.
With the emphasis set on ensuring they extended the lead to cement a definite win from which they could return to Delanakaikai with the coveted Deans trophy, the coach shared the one message that drove the team to victory.
“The message was, I always challenged them every year. Even up to the final, you can score about 50 points and they did it today,” the coach highlighted.
“Come next year, I won’t see you here today; I won’t see you in this room. You’ll be somewhere else.”
“You’ll be out there cheering for your younger brothers.”
Meanwhile, RKS walked away with $7000 in prize money.