THE Ba Women’s Rugby team has its breakthrough season after five of their players were selected for the Fiji Rugby Union’s High-Performance Unit (HPU), a proud moment for the players and the Ba rugby community.
The selected players are Mere Watiqolo, Ilisapeci Molikula, Salote Vuniwaqa, Aseri Delai, and Ba Women’s captain Asenaca Naio.
They are among 30 players chosen following the Fiji Women’s Rugby ‘Na Soko’ competition, a ground-breaking franchise tournament aimed at raising the standard of women’s rugby across the nation.
Of the five, four players, Mere, Ilisapeci, Salote, and Aseri represented Yasawa last season and are newly signed players for the Ba Women’s team this year. Their recent move has brought added strength and experience to the squad, which is now gaining national attention.
Captain Asenaca Naio, the only Ba-based player from last season among the selected group, shared her joy and gratitude.
“We are happy and proud to be selected to be part of the FRU High Performance Unit. This is a big break for us and for our rugby careers. We thank God for this opportunity.
“Coming from a small town like Ba and making it into the FRU High Performance Unit is a real achievement. It gives us hope and motivation to keep working hard,” she said.
Their selection is a significant milestone not only for the players but for women’s rugby in the Western Division, proving that talent from small towns can rise to national levels with dedication and the right opportunities.
