Souths 9s into semis

By JACK AMI
GAVUONE Lako Blues caused the biggest upset of the Southern 9s rugby league tournament when they downed defending premiers Gaivakala (1) 12-8 in the quarter-final yesterday.
It took them eight years to qualify for the semi-finals but the Gavuone youths did it in style over the highly financed Aroma coast side.
Gavuone scored three tries to Gaivakala’s two and led 8-4 at halftime.
The Blues now face an experienced Maopa Paio in today’s semi-final. Both teams were knocked out in the quarter-finals last year.
The match is expected to go down to the wire as the Blues will be out to prove that their victory over Gaivakala was no fluke.
“We had to move up quickly on defence and stop our opponents from advancing and it paid off handsomely,” captain Ivan Vagi said after yesterday’s game.
“It took us eight years to come this far but it’s not over yet as Maopa Paio are an experienced side with players like the Abavu brothers Joshua, Anthony and Bland that we have to monitor and stop their attacks.”
In the other quarter-finals yesterday, Paio beat Vula’a Parela 14-4, G Stones downed Kaugere Amua 6-4 and Kai Marshalls came from behind to edge out Pinu Cowboys 14-10.
G Stones play Kai Marshalls in the other semi-final today.
Tournament director Ivan Ravu had to reschedule the other quarter-finals to today due to poor lighting.
The games to be played today are: Bese Amepenaio v Gavuone Bullets, Maopakala Brothers v WRS Kupiano, Maopa KR v Taurama, Miro Koivi v Keakalo.
All the winners in the quarter-finals will book a semi-finals spot while the losers slip to the plate division. The bowl division continues with the semi-finals today.