Five teams from the Kiama Junior Rugby Union Club (JRUC) played in the grand finals on Sunday, September 1 at the Wollongong Vikings Rugby Union Club ground and four came away with the win.

The junior grand finals have only six age groups (Under 10’s, 11’s, 12’s, 13’s, 14’s and 16’s) and five of those six featured a Kiama JRUC team. 

The Under 10’s, 11’s Black, 12’s and 16’s managed to win their grand finals, while the 14’s ended the season runner’s up. It was the Under 12’s third grand final win in a row. Junior President of the club, Renae Sukavakarua has been associated with the club since the 1980’s and she says she has never heard of a year being so successful.

“I’ve been around for a long time and I’ve never heard of this much success. When you look at the club as a whole to have every single team make the finals series and then to have 5 juniors in the potential 6 grand finals - we’d have to be up there with the best,” says Sukavakarua.

Under 16s Grand Finalists

Sukavakarua credits the overwhelming success of 2024 to the dedication and commitment from the players, coaches, parents and volunteers which also made them one of the biggest clubs in the Illawarra district.

“Rugby is a Sunday sport and the Illawarra district ranges from Shoalhaven to Bowral to Camden to Campbelltown to Avondale. So if your child has a game at 9am in Bowral on a Sunday it's not ideal. But this year the commitment and dedication from everyone has been amazing,” says Sukavakura.

“This year we fielded an under 7’s, 8’s, 9’s, 10’s, 11’s, 12’s, 13’s, 14’s and 16’s team. It pretty much made Kiama the biggest club in the Illawarra district. We’ve got amazing coaches, people helping out and working, and the kids and the parents are all dedicated and committed to being there week in and week out.”

Under 14s Grand Finalists

On top of this success for Kiama, a number of players and coaches were selected to bring their work to the representative level in 2024. U16’s player, Asher Chapman played in the NSW Country U15’s side. While his teammates Lacom Poching, Jack Mann & Phoenix Johns were part of the winning NSW Country U16’s side. 

Coaches Wise Sukavakarua (Renae’s husband), Dean Wheeler, Dan Searle, Rikki Papesch and Patrick Hughes were all selected as Illawarra District Representative coaches.

Renae Sukavakarua has a long history and attachment with the Kiama club, her husband plays in the senior levels, two of her sons play in the juniors and her father Ted Moore was the President in the early 90’s. 

Under 12s Grand Finalists

“Way back, I think it was either 1990 or 1991, my dad was president of the Kiama Blowhards. So from the mid 80s I have been a part of the Kiama Rugby Club. My husband, Wise Sukavakura, has played over 140 games for Kiama Rugby and still plays second grade,” says Sukavakura.