The 2026 Rooster Chicken Shield will kick off in Ba this Saturday with a notable expansion aimed at fast-tracking women’s rugby development in the province: the tournament will, for the first time, include girls’ age-grade divisions for under-16 and under-18 teams. Organised by the Ba Rugby Union (BRU) and backed by Rooster Poultry, the new grades are designed to formalise a clearer pathway from grassroots club rugby to provincial representation and elite competition.
Rooster Poultry CEO Stanley Raniga said the company has watched women’s rugby in Ba grow rapidly since the shield began in 2023, and that the firm remains committed to supporting players from junior levels through to the Fijiana Drua and the national Fijiana team. “Rooster Chicken has been a consistent supporter of women’s rugby from grassroots through to the Fijiana Drua and the national Fijiana team,” Raniga said, adding that early backing at club level helped Ba’s success in last year’s Ranadi Cup and the province’s qualification for the Marama Championship.
The tournament’s expanded structure is significant because performances across the grades will be used to help select the NewWorld IGA Ba Women’s squad for the 2026 Marama Championship, Ba Rugby Union secretary Gaby Kautoga confirmed. Selectors will be watching closely throughout the shield for players who can step up to provincial duty, strengthening the link between youth competitions and senior representative teams.
Kautoga welcomed the new age grades as recognition of the rising interest in women’s rugby across Ba. “At times women’s rugby can be neglected. But females make up almost half of the supporters at men’s games and the result of that dedication to the sport is the natural progression of women’s and girl’s rugby,” she said. She also noted scheduling considerations with the school-level Raluve competition — which starts in the second term — meant the organisers had time to complete the shield before the inter-school season ramps up.
On the field, competition across all grades is expected to be strong. Defending senior champions Yakete Nakula will begin their title defence against a revamped Bulu Solesole side, while former winners Veiyasana Cagilaba are entering a rebuilding phase but remain a side to watch. Tournament organisers say the new under-16 and under-18 divisions should deepen the talent pool and provide match exposure for emerging players who would previously have had fewer opportunities.
First staged in 2023, the Rooster Chicken Shield has grown into one of Ba’s primary platforms for developing women’s rugby talent. With continued sponsorship from Rooster Poultry and the added focus on structured youth pathways, organisers and sponsors hope the 2026 edition will not only lift standards in local competitions but also feed future Ba representatives into provincial and national squads.
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