MARIST Storm and MGM Dragons have booked their spots in the U15 final of the Vodafone Fiji Secondary School Rugby League Championship, set to be held at Prince Charles Park in Nadi next Saturday.
Both teams came through tough semi-final matches at Garvey Park, Tavua yesterday, with Marist edging out Central College Lautoka 16-14, while MGM Dragons powered past Sigatoka Methodist High School 16-6.
The opening semi-final saw Marist Storm come out firing. The Kaunikuila boys displayed a well-structured attack and solid defence to dominate the first half. Tries from Apenisa Naigulevu, Jo Naqicatabu, and Waisale Bakalevu, with Eric Robanakadavu converting two of them, gave Marist a commanding 16-0 lead at halftime.
But Central College Lautoka wasn’t going down without a fight. The Sugar City boys lifted their tempo in the second half, responding with three quick tries and a conversion to close the gap to just two points. Despite the pressure, Marist held their nerve, and as the final whistle blew they walked away with a narrow but hard-earned win.
Marist captain Rodriguez Young praised his side’s resilience.
“It was not easy making it to the semi-finals. During the hard times, we just taught the team to stay together. We thank our coaching panel, Mr. Koroi our head coach, our trainers, and our parents for their love and support. They stayed with us through the difficult times,” he said.
In the second semi-final, MGM Dragons and Sigatoka Methodist were locked in a close battle during the first half – both teams scoring a try and converting successfully for a 6-6 draw at the break.
However, MGM came back stronger in the second half, scoring two more tries and converting one to secure a 16-6 win and seal their place in the final.
With both teams showing grit, discipline, and skill, next Saturday’s final promises to be a thrilling encounter as Marist Storm and MGM Dragons battle for U15 supremacy.
