A feast of sports action

THE stage is set for a feast of sports this long weekend. Followers of secondary schools rugby will be focused today on the games at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

That’s when the finals of the Deans Trophy competition take centre-stage.

So which team will it be to take out top honours in the premier U18 grade final?

Will it be Marist Brothers High School or Suva Grammar School?

Whatever your take is on the outcome, fans are surely in for some exciting clashes in the various grades culminating with the U18 final.

Attention will also be on the U18 final of the girls’ Raluve competition between Natabua High School and Jasper Williams High School.

Back in the Capital City, soccer fans are in for exciting action at the National Stadium.

The big guns are all here.

By yesterday afternoon, three teams had made it through to the semi-finals of the annual Inter-District

Championship.

Suva, Navua and Rewa got early spots with Ba having to beat Labasa last night to maintain their unbeaten run, and also qualify for the semis.

Teams take a break today and will return for the semi-finals tomorrow. Fans can also look forward to the Fiji Football Association’s Junior Bula Boys presentation today.

On the international front, attention will shift to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The Fijiana, ranked 21 in the world, will take on world number one England in their first match at a World Cup tournament.

Team captain Sereima Leweniqila said the support received so far has been overwhelming.

“It has been a tremendous journey. We are both grateful and excited ahead of our first Rugby World Cup match ever,” she said.

The side, she said, was welcomed with open arms by the Fijian community in New Zealand.

Interestingly Fiji heads in as the lowest ranked team in the tournament and we face giants England, France and South Africa in pool play.

We play England in our first match at 3.45pm at Eden Park in Auckland today.

Women’s rugby in Fiji has attracted a lot of attention and this was boosted by the victories of our teams at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and by the Fijiana Drua in their debut season in the Australian Super W competition this season.

Today, fans will be keen to see how our side comes out against England.

For whatever it’s worth, there is excitement in the air and a jam-packed long weekend of sporting events to look forward to.

We wish all teams the very best, and may you all have fond sporting memories of this weekend.

■ side is gaining strength and I am expecting the boys to give Grammar a tough test. With the support of Saiasi Fuli and the Nabua team, the side will be a force to reckon with.

In the U14 and U15 finals, RKS plays Marist and QVS. In the U16 and U17 finals, Suva Grammar faces QVS and Marist, while the U19 final will see Ratu Navula taking on Ra High. Thus, the U17 battle between Suva Grammar and Marist Brothers will set the platform for the U18 final. It has been ages since two Southern teams are battling for the Holy Grail and I wish them the best! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu