Next year’s Vinod Patel Cup (Top 16) will be bolstered by the presence of Services Ba and Natawarau after the two teams won their INOX Trophy semi-finals last week.
Making amends for their one-point defeat last season against Rarawai FSC in the promotion decider, Services Ba beat surprise package Nakavika 12-11 with literally the last kick of the game.
Services, made up from Police, Wardens and Fire officers in Ba, had earlier won their pool and looked confident leading into the semi-final.
They will face Natawarau in next week’s INOX Trophy Final at 4R Stadium, Govind Park, after the fishing village team repelled an impressive challenge 16-6 from the young Bure side, who are the Navala development team.
The two INOX Trophy finalists earn automatic promotion to the Top 16.
Meanwhile, all four Vinod Patel Cup quarter-finals went down to the wire as the top eight clubs battled it out for spots in the semis.
Defending champions Nailaga started tentatively against newly promoted Rarawai FSC and trailed 10-20 at the break, but a controlled second half saw them edge ahead 23-20 and hold out to the final whistle.
Underdogs Sasa missed a golden opportunity to join Nailaga in the semis-finals when they missed a shot at goal with the last play of the day – which left them on the losing end of a 20-18 scoreline.
Sorokoba showed all of their attacking prowess by dismantling the 2024 champions Natalecake 38-26. Impact prop Allen Osborne charged over for two second-half tries.
In today’s semi-final, Sorokoba take on last year’s runners-up Toge, who downed Ba River 17-12 to put a dampener on the Votua club’s season after they were so triumphant a week earlier winning the final Ba Industries Vanua O Ba Challenge.
At the other end of the spectrum, Camanivanua take on Vadravadra today in a vital game in which the losers get relegated from the Top 16.
“Only in its second year, the Vinod Patel Cup has quickly become an established and much-vaunted tournament amongst Ba’s clubs,” BRU Secretary Gaby Kautoga noted.
“We have been blessed with wonderful support from sponsors Vinod Patel and the fanatical following by the crazy rugby fans of Ba.”
“The Grand Finale is only a week away and then we’re into the Skipper Cup and Marama Championship.”
Games start slightly later than usual at Vinod Patel Park today, kicking off at 9.45am with the main games set for a 3pm start.
Admission remains at $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12.
