Taina Basiyalo 
Suva Grammar School u18 side after their win yesterday. [insert: Head coach Epeli Osborne]
Suva Grammar School’s under-18 coach, Epeli Osborne, has completed a remarkable full circle, 25 years after he was part of the Grammar side that last won the Vodafone Super Deans Under 18 title.
Now on the sidelines as a coach, Osborne helped guide a new generation of Lions to the championship, ending a two-decade wait for the school.
Osborne said the long drought had been a constant talking point as he watched Grammar’s teams come through the grades year after year.
“I’ve been telling these boys ever since they’ve been coming up through their grades, right from Under 14, how to do it.”
For years, Osborne and other old scholars would encourage the players and hand out jerseys on game day, hoping to inspire the team to finally reclaim the title.
But this year, Osborne decided to take a more hands-on approach.
“We talked about it as a group and I told them, look, I’ll jump in and we’ll try and show the boys in Grammar how it’s done.”
That decision proved decisive as Grammar finally broke through and lifted the under-18 crown.
For Osborne, the victory was also a reflection of the unwavering support from the school’s old scholars, parents and wider Grammar community.
“All the scholars and the support of the Grammar community have been awesome. We wouldn’t be doing this without the support.”
Having once celebrated the title as a player, Osborne can now add another chapter to that history as a coach.
And after 21 years of waiting, he admitted the emotion of the moment was difficult to put into words.
“I can’t explain how I’m feeling right now.”
Grammar defeated Lelean Memorial School 36-21 yesterday evening to wrap up the 2026 Vodafone Deans competition.
