THE Vodafone Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union finals will be played at HFC Stadium in Suva on August 22, setting the stage for a grand finale after tomorrow’s highly anticipated semi-final battles across Lautoka and Suva.
A Fiji Rugby Union official confirmed the final venue and date to this newspaper.
Before the finalists are decided, the spotlight turns to Churchill Park in Lautoka and Buckhurst and Bidesi Parks in Suva today, where schools will battle for places in the national finals.
The semi-finals are expected to draw strong support, with parents, students and rugby fans preparing to turn up in their school colours and create a vibrant atmosphere around the venues.
Among the Western teams carrying high hopes into today’s action is Ba Methodist High School U17, which faces Ratu Kadavulevu School in a highly anticipated semi-final.
The encounter will be the second meeting between the two schools this season after Ba Methodist defeated RKS in the Vodafone Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League final.
Ba Methodist will be hoping for a similar result tomorrow, but the Nailaga-based school knows it will face a determined RKS outfit seeking to turn the tables.
Ba Methodist booked its semi-final spot after a hard-fought 22-19 victory over Gospel High School in the quarter-final at Tavua last Saturday.
The young Ba side showed composure and resilience in a match that went down to the wire, with Gospel High continuing to apply pressure until the final whistle.
Ba Methodist managed to withstand the late challenge and protect its narrow lead to secure its place in the last four.
The school’s preparation has also been boosted by the establishment of the Ba Rugby Academy, while several of its players are currently part of the Fijian Drua Development programme.
Ba Methodist High School principal Azam Ali said discipline would remain a key focus for the players.
“My main message to the players was to always maintain discipline. I have faith in this team,” Ali said.
Ali said the semi-final appearance was a significant achievement for the school, particularly after previous campaigns ended at the quarter-final stage.
