Favourites held firm on day two of the 50th Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens at HFC Bank Stadium as the men’s pool matches produced largely predictable results and few shocks, organisers and coaches said. The second day of action saw a string of commanding wins for established sides and a series of tight encounters that set up an intensified knockout phase for the tournament’s milestone edition.
In one of the closest contests, Vuna Brothers edged Island Brothers 10–7 in a tense match that went down to the wire. Bula Brothers reinforced their credentials with a clinical 15–0 victory over McDonald’s Westfield Babas, while Loloma Heights overwhelmed Gau Kacau 26–0 to underline their attacking potency. Kasabias Village Boys ran in five tries to finish 31–0 against Newborn Waitabu, one of the more one-sided results of the day.
Wardens Gold continued their impressive defensive run, keeping Pegasus Brothers scoreless in a 17–0 win and preserving what organisers described as a perfect defensive record through the pool stages. Police White produced one of the day’s more dramatic comebacks, coming from behind to beat Fresh’et Navy 10–7 in a fixture that drew sustained crowd interest. Kaite Rugby also recorded a confident win, defeating Bula Ballers Tamaya 19–7.
Several other encounters were decided by narrow margins, emphasising the fine lines in sevens rugby. Yaro Chiefs scraped past Wai Tui Tribal 12–10 in a match that kept fans on edge, and Wailevu Rugby closed out their pool campaign with a 15–5 victory over Golden Eagle ANCF Waidina. Tournament officials said the pool phase is now complete and that teams will regroup overnight ahead of the business end of the competition.
Organisers have rescheduled the men’s elimination rounds and quarter-finals to take place tomorrow, compressing a busy day of knockout rugby into the HFC Bank Stadium schedule. The change means teams advancing from the pools will need quick turnarounds and precise recovery plans to maintain form as the field narrows toward the semis and finals. No official reason for the rescheduling was provided in the day-two wrap, though organisers assured fans the program would deliver an action-packed curtain-raiser to the elimination stage.
As the 50th Marist Sevens moves into elimination mode, the tournament favourites look to have avoided early upsets but will face sterner tests as margins tighten in knockout rugby. With Wardens Gold yet to concede and several tight results underscoring the competitiveness across pools, tomorrow’s rescheduled elimination fixtures promise high stakes and potentially decisive shifts in momentum as teams chase glory at this landmark edition.
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