Matawalu explains format for T2 comps

THE Royal Tea Ranadi Cup and Vodafone Vanua Trophy competition will see the top eight teams through to the quarter-finals.

Both competitions comprise of four pools with four teams. Only the top two teams from each of the pools will advance to the final stages.

Fiji Rugby Union competitions and operations manager Jiko Matawalu explained the format for these two competitions.

“We have four pools of four teams, a total of 16 unions. For Vanua we have the under-20 and the senior men’s team while we have only one open for the Ranadi,” he said.

“We will get the first two from the pools, they will play six matches in two rounds of games. After that the top two will go up to the quarterfinals, semifinals and eventually the final.

“After the final, the top two will then wait for the bottom two from top then they’ll have promotion relegation games.”

The promotion-relegation format has been encouraged to ensure that the competitive nature of all competitions remain.

“There is a total of three games with the bottom two teams from the Skipper and Marama battling the top two from the Vanua and Ranadi. The best two teams out of that will secure a sport in the Skipper or Marama,” he added.

“Before it was automatic but that has been changed this year because of what has transpired in the past five to six years.

“The team that gets promoted to the top becomes automatically demoted in the following season and that creates instability in the level of competition for Skipper.

“In order to have stable competition with the right level of games played in the top we need to have the strong two teams securing places in the top and that’s how the format was decided.”

Looking at this weekend’s fixtures, in the Ranadi Cup, Macuata faces Taveuni at Subrail Park, Serua hosts Malolo at Thompson Park in Navua, Cakaudrove plays Bua at Ratu Ganilau Park in Savusavu, Northern Bulls take on Rewa at Naluwai School Ground, Vatukoula battles rivals Tavua at Theodore Park and Nanukuloa faces Ra at Ra Sports Ground in Rakiraki.

All matches are set for 11am.

In the Vanua Trophy, Serua and Malolo will square off at Thompson Park, Cakaudrove meets Bua at Ratu Ganilau Park while Taveuni hosts Ra at Wairiki School Ground, Ovalau battles Nasinu at Nasau Park, Northern Bulls meets Rewa at Naluwai, Vatukoula and Tavua will go toe-to-toe at Theodore Park while Nanukuloa and Northland will meet at the Ra Sports Ground.

All Vanua senior matches are scheduled for 3pm.