Meli Laddpeter 
[Photo: FILE]
Scoring the winning try to book her team’s place in the Weet-Bix Raluve Championship semi-finals is a moment Lydia Waqairapoa will always remember.
The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School sprinter crossed the try line just minutes before full-time to send her Under-18 side through to the next stage of the competition.
Waqairapoa says reaching the semi-finals was no easy feat, crediting the hard work and commitment she and her teammates have put in over the past few weeks.
The Taveuni lass also thanked her school for its continued support and for rallying behind the team since the beginning of the season.
“We’re just thankful; being able to reach this far was not easy, we really hard to work hard everyday, and I thank all my teammates for not backing down.”
The 2026 Coca-Cola Games Blue Ribbon winner is no stranger to competing at the highest level in school sport, having represented MGM High School on the athletics track and the football field.
Now, she is making her mark on the rugby field, with her match-winning try giving her side a shot at reaching the Raluve Championship final.
