Sports administration can be tedious at times, yet it plays a crucial role in ensuring competitions run smoothly. Ba Rugby Union (BRU) has experienced significant growth over the past 18 months, leading to heightened expectations regarding proper conduct and transparency in areas such as discipline, match officiating, and player eligibility.
“We still have a lot to learn,” admitted BRU Secretary Gaby Kautoga. “Each week seems to bring new challenges that we must address, and we are grateful to our club and tikina members for their patience and contributions as we enhance our operations.”
Yakete Nakula faced challenges when they could not field a women’s team in the 2023 Rooster Chicken Shield, and doubts arose when the team missed Round 1 of the 2024 tournament last month. However, in Round 2, the Yakete ladies made a strong comeback, appearing on the field in formation, gathering for a prayer, and ultimately achieving a decisive 24-0 victory over Qailyalatina.
For Round 3, the team manager not only completed their individual player registrations for Ba but also secured a release letter from Yasawa Rugby Union for the 12 players who previously played there. “This all took place within a couple of days after we submitted the registration forms,” Kautoga said, noting most players hail from Ba but attend school in Lautoka.
The success continued as Yakete triumphed over Magodro with a score of 34-0, advancing the team to today’s Rooster Chicken Shield semi-finals against Nailaga. “One of our major objectives for 2025 is for the Ba Women to gain promotion to the ANZ Marama Championship, and this will provide a significant boost for the team,” Kautoga emphasized.
Another highlight from last week was the impressive administrative performance of the Veiyasana Under 19s team. “After receiving the registration forms on Thursday, the Veiyasana Junior side had them completed and submitted in time for Saturday’s game, complete with birth certificates,” Kautoga said.
He added, “The Ba Tikina Championships not only showcase aspiring players for the three Ba representative teams but also serve as a pathway for coaches and officials. I believe we can identify managers and assistant coaches for the Ba teams from here; some new faces are demonstrating their competence.”
In the other Rooster Chicken Shield semi-final, defending champions Veiyasana Cagilaba will face Bulu. Meanwhile, in the Ba Industries Cup, a last-minute penalty goal enabled the Veiyasana men’s team to secure a 12-10 victory over Qaliyalatina, allowing both teams to reach the Cup semi-finals.
All three Nailaga Tiliva Bukuya teams topped their pools, and the Naloto Under 19s defeated Bulu 22-14 to advance to the Allied Buses Trophy semi-finals. Today, all 24 teams will compete, with entry fees set at $4 for adults and $2 for youths.