Administrative tasks in sports can sometimes be monotonous, yet they play a crucial role in ensuring competitions run smoothly.
Ba Rugby Union has experienced significant growth over the past year and a half, leading to heightened expectations for proper procedure and transparency in areas such as discipline, officiating, and player eligibility.
“We still have a lot to learn,” acknowledged BRU Secretary Gaby Kautoga. “Every week seems to bring new challenges, and we are grateful to our club and tikina members for their patience, contributions, and ideas as we enhance our operations.”
After failing to field a women’s team in the 2023 Rooster Chicken Shield, there were concerns when their team didn’t appear for Round 1 of the 2024 tournament last month. However, in Round 2, the Yakete women’s team confidently took the field, gathered for a prayer, and made a strong statement with a decisive 24-0 victory over Qailyalatina Bure.
For Round 3, the manager effectively submitted player registrations linking them to Ba, along with a release letter from Yasawa Rugby Union for 12 players who previously played there. “All of this occurred just days after we submitted the registration forms,” Kautoga noted. “Most of these players are from Ba but attend school in Lautoka.”
In an impressive turn, Yakete triumphed over Magodro with a score of 34-0, securing their spot in the Rooster Chicken Shield semi-finals against Nailaga. Kautoga expressed, “One of our major goals for 2025 is for the Ba Women’s team to achieve promotion to the ANZ Marama Championship, which would greatly uplift the team’s morale.”
Another highlight from the past week was the impressive administrative work by the Veiyasana Under 19s team. “Despite receiving the registration forms on Thursday, the Veiyasana Junior side not only completed them in time for Saturday’s match but also attached the birth certificates,” Kautoga said.
The Ba Tikina Championships not only serve to recognize promising players for the three Ba representative teams but also create opportunities for coaches and officials. “I believe we can identify managers and assistant coaches for the Ba teams here; some new faces are showcasing their capabilities.”
In the other Rooster Chicken Shield semi-final, defending champions Veiyasana Cagilaba will compete against Bulu.
In the Ba Industries Cup, a last-minute penalty secured a 12-10 victory for the Veiyasana men’s team over Qaliyalatina, allowing both teams to advance to the Cup semi-finals.
All three Nailaga Tiliva Bukuya teams topped their respective pools, while the Naloto Under 19s defeated Bulu 22-14 to progress to the Allied Buses Trophy semi-finals.
Today’s matches will feature all 24 teams, with entry priced at $4 for adults and $2 for youths.