TODAY’S club games at Vinod Patel Park in Ba take on several meanings as it’s not only the last round of pool games in the Vinod Patel Cup (Top 16) and the final challenge for 2026 for the Ba Industries Vanua O Ba Challenge. It’s also the start of the INOX Trophy knock-out stages.
A great tussle is unfolding in Pool A after Sasa’s successful protest on player eligibility overturned last week’s defeat against Ba River. Four clubs — Balevuto, Sasa, Ba River and Duiyasana — will vie today for the last two spots in the cup quarter-finals.
Natalecake, Nailaga, plus Rarawai FSC, Toge, Navala and Sorokoba from Pool B are already safely into the cup quarters.
As an added bonus for spectators today, the Vinod Patel Ba Skipper Cup side will host Lautoka in a friendly at 2pm before the main game of the day — the final Ba Industries Vanua o Ba Challenge between Natalecake and Ba River.
“It’s all rugby systems go at the moment,” BRU secretary Gaby Kautoga joked as he surveyed the grounds being prepared for another full day of action.
“The rugby fans in Ba have been amazing so far,” he added, “and with the INOX Trophy quarter-finals also being played today for the second division teams, it’ll be quite hard to keep up with everything.
“We are very thankful to each and every member of the grounds team in getting everything ready. t takes a large and dedicated team to prepare four grounds, especially as we have to put up 800 metres of awnings.”
Because of the extra Skipper Cup warm-up games this afternoon, there will also be three club games this morning at Ba Methodist High School.
The games at Vinod Patel Park kick-off at 8am today with admission $5 for adults and $2 for those under 12.
