There is a high possibility that the Fiji Rugby Union may scrap the promotion/ relegation format for the 2025 Skipper Cup and Vanua Championship.
This was one of the talking points during the Fiji Rugby Union annual general meeting last Saturday where Ba Rugby brought up a motion to do away with the promotion/relegation format.
The idea behind the format was that the champion of the Vanua Championship has earned their rightful place in the Skipper Cup.
Ba Rugby vice-president Noa Kautoga said playing the promotion/relegation playoff is also a hefty financial burden for the participating teams.
“If you prepare the team for a game in the promotion/relegation, it will cost you more than two to three thousand dollars to play that game.
“So, it’s better to scrap that promotion/relegation and have a direct qualification from Vanua to the Skipper Cup.
“It’s a burden for the team to prepare just for that one game,” he said.
In response, Fiji Rakavi Union Board chairman John Sanday said new development can be expected.
“We dealt with all the motions and one in particular proposed by Ba was the promotion-relegation where the top team from the Vanua automatically goes up rather then the top two fighting off against the bottom two.
“That is something we have resolved and that’s a new development that is going to be seen in the Skipper and Vanua Cup coming up.
“The top team from Vanua will automatically go up because the notion is that they are the champion team so as champion they should qualify for the Skipper Cup,” he said.
Malolo and Vatukoula were promoted from the Vanua Championship last year.
They replaced Yasawa and Namosi who were demoted following the promotion/relegation playoffs in August 2024.
Round one of the 2025 Skipper Cup will start on Saturday while the Vanua Championship is scheduled for September 5.
