While some came to win, many came simply to rediscover a game they once loved.
The Suva Touch Association revived its Business House Festival competition at HFC Bank Stadium over the weekend, welcoming 24 teams from workplaces across the Suva area.
For Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) employee Savenaca Vocea, the tournament is more about connection and wellbeing than results on the scoreboard.
“It’s mostly about participation and employee engagement,” Vocea said.
“A lot of them are new to the sport. This is the first time they are playing.
“We just want to make sure they have a good time, and everyone gets a good run.”
The Business House competition had been dormant for a few years before Suva Touch brought it back.
This is also the first time the Suva association has hosted it themselves, after the event was previously managed by Touch Federation Fiji.
Vocea said the atmosphere was perfect, with fine weather and plenty of smiles as teams mixed experienced players with beginners.
He shared that in their first match against Tower Insurance where they won 6-4, the Fiji National Provident Fund side fielded mostly female players.
“It’s nice to have that female empowerment shown across from our male comrades,” he said.
“Today is about learning the sport and having a bit of wellness to go with it.”
Touch rugby has unique rules, which Vocea said was a learning curve for many new participants. But it is also a sport open to all ages.
With non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) on the rise in Fiji, Vocea believes touch rugby offers a simple way to stay active and improve quality of life.
FNPF players in action at the Suva Touch Association Business House festival on Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium. Picture: LITIA RITOVA
