Rugby

No Eastern Zone team in Deans U-18 semi-finals

September 24, 2022 5:14 pm

For the first time in the Vodafone Super Deans history, there’ll be no Eastern Zone team in the semifinals.

This is after Queen Victoria School, Lelean Memorial School and Ratu Kadavulevu School lost their quarterfinal games today at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.

Marist Brothers High School and Natabua High School created the major upsets today.

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Marist defeated RKS 16-13 in the last quarter-final today.

This means Marist will face Ba Provincial Freebird Institute in the first semi-final while Suva Grammar School takes on Natabua High School in the second semi-final at Prince Charles Park in Nadi next weekend.

Marist Coach Jone Temo says they believed they could do it against the Eastern Zone champions.

‘I told the boys we’re third but we have to finish the game this week with a win’.

Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Vice-President Savenaca Muamua says they witnessed something new today.

‘We see the stiffness in the competition when it comes to the quarterfinals it’s anybody’s game and as far as we know no East team has qualified and that is history and it’s quite new’.

The Marist Brothers side had a slow start trailing the Delainakaikai team in the first half but managed to pick up the momentum in the second spell.

RKS stamped its mark with a try to winger Ratu Etuate Veidreyaki in the sixth minute.

Marist equalized with a converted try to Mikaele Senibua for a 7-5 lead.

The third-seeded team from the Southern Zone was awarded a penalty after a foul from RKS which they converted.

RKS refused to give up as lock Jonathan Lokomata dived in the corner for the team’s second try.

Leading 13-10, Marist Brothers High School was awarded two penalties in the 46th and 55th minutes which were converted by Josefa Matawalu for the 16-13 win.

The Vodafone Super Deans under 18 will have a new champion after Natabua High School defeated Queen Victoria School 21-19 in the quarter-final at the HFC Bank stadium in Suva.

Natabua scored the winning try in the 66th minute after number eight Alipate Viyalani crashed over the tryline following some poor exit play by QVS in their 22 meter line.

With scores locked at 19-all, winger Netani Volitivitivi kicked the winning conversion.

For the first time as well there’ll be no Eastern Zone teams in the semifinals.

In other U-18 quarterfinals, Suva Grammar School beat Lelean Memorial School 21-8,Ba Provinical Freebird Institute defeated Nasinu Secondary Scghool 12-5 and Ratu Kadavulevu School went down 16-13 to Marist Brother High School.