The 2018 Samoa Schools National Rugby Championships has kicked-off.

Vaiola Church College crowned the 2017 Secondary Schools ‘Violence Free’ Champions, are not in the competition this year. They missed out on the Savai’i’s Secondary Schools Zone qualifying rounds.

The competition is being supported by the Australian Government. It is being implemented by the Samoa Rugby Union in collaboration with the Samoa Schools Rugby Union and Secondary Schools Principals and Association with the aim of supporting Samoan schools rugby and its development. 

The tournament, in its first inception, was formally called the Secondary Schools ‘Smoke-free’ competition. Last year it was changed to ‘Violence-free’ last year and this year to Samoa Schools National Rugby Championships. 

The championships will see top two teams from zones A, B, C and D in the Under-15, Under-17 Under-19, including the Under-19 women’s division, going head to head. The winner will be crowned the 2018 king of rugby for the secondary schools level.

According to a statement from the Samoa Rugby Union, it started on 16 April, 2018, at the Apia Park Sports Complex as the quarterfinal round for all the qualifying schools from their five weeks competition in their regional schools zones round.

“After five weeks of intense secondary schools rugby in all four regional school zones, the top two boy’s teams from each zone in three age groups have qualified to the 2018 national championship.”

“The girl’s competition will be a 10-a-side tournament for Under-19 Girls, where one team from Zone A, three teams from Zone C and four teams from Zone D have qualified for the national championship.”

Vaimauga College, Leiifiifi College, St Joseph’s College, Maluafou College, Wesley College, Leulumoega Fou College, Itu o Tane College and Uesiliana College are competing in the boys Under-19 division.

The Under-17 boys division included Avele College, Leiifiifi College, St Joseph’s College, Robert Louis Secondary School, Amoa College, Amoa College, Leulumoega Fou College and Safata College.

Samoa College, Avele College, St Joseph’s College, Maluafou College, Itu o Tane College, Palauli College, Nu’uausala College and Lefaga College competing in the Under-15 boy’s division.

The tournament is set to hold its semifinal stage today before commencing their finals on Friday.

Day One Results

Under-19

Vaimauga College 17-5 Maluafou College

Itu o Tane College 11-26 Leiifiifi College

St Joseph’s College 7-10 Leulumoega Fou College

Wesley College 10-8 Uesiliana College

Under-17

St Joseph’s College 17-5 Maluafou College 

Avele College 8-12 Safata College

Leulumoega Fou College 7-42 Leiifiifi College

Amoa College 15-5 Robert Louis Stevenson School

Under-15

Itu o Tane 12-14 Lefaga College

Nuuausala College 16-22 Maluafou College

St Joseph’s College 20-5 Avele College

Samoa College 7-5 Palauli College