The Saint Theresa Secondary School Under-17 rugby league team have booked their spot in the national playoffs.

Rugby League development officer, Suliasi Cakautabu said the Bemana based- school from Navosa walloped Valley Junior Secondary School 28-0 in their deciding clash at the Sigatoka Village ground yesterday.

“These boys from Saint Theresa have got the size and speed to beat any team that come their way,” he said.

“Their powerful runs caused the Valley Junior defence to buckle and they never recovered after they ran through their first line of defence very easily.”

Cakautabu said rugby league is a new sport in Bemana but the boys were quick to know the rules and adapted themselves to the game.

He said at the end of the Nadroga/Navosa secondary schools competition, the teams that have qualified for the national playoffs are;

U15- Valley Junior Secondary School

U17- St Theresa Secondary School

U19- Navosa Central College

In the pre-season clash, 2015 Vodafone Cup premier champions Coastline Roos suffered a shock 14-4 loss to newcomers Coastal Owls.

WOMEN

For the first time in the country, a women rugby league game got underway at the Sigatoka Village ground. The Bemana women from Navosa beat the Coastline Roos women side 16-6 to the delight of the big crowd that came to watch the encounter.

“The match created a lot of interest among the women and they were there in full force to cheer on their teams,” Cakautabu said.

He said the Nadroga/ Navosa zone is hoping to make the women competition a weekly one as most village teams have declared their interest to join.

“There is a Rugby League Women’s World Cup next year and this is an incentive for our women to go and participate,” he added.

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