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Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Founded | 2004 |
Ceased | 2008 |
No. of teams | 6 |
Country | Fiji |
Last champion(s) | Western Crusaders |
The Colonial Cup (named after sponsors The Colonial National Bank) is a defunct rugby union football competition that was played in Fiji between 2004 and 2008. The Colonial Cup was Fiji's first attempt at a professional rugby competition, but it did not draw sufficient crowds and ceased after five seasons.
In 2004, with the gap between provincial rugby in Fiji and test rugby at an unacceptable level, the Fiji Rugby Union introduced a brand new, streamlined competition to identify and prepare local players for the international stage. The 30-odd provincial unions were grouped into four franchises along geographical lines. Players not selected for one team could be picked up by one of the others. Players were paid £40 a week plus lodgings.
The new competition started on 3 April 2004 and finished 22 May 2004 in time for the international test window. The four teams played a round-robin followed by semi-finals and a grand final. The Coastal Stallions held off a late rally from the Suva Highlanders to claim the inaugural Colonial Cup 26-21
In 2005 an extra team was added, Northern Sharks, made of players from Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Ovalau. Previously the Northern Division had belonged to the Suva franchise. Suva Highlanders won the Grand final with a 35-27 win over Western Crusaders.
In 2006, with the introduction of a Super 14 style tournament called the Pacific Rugby Cup, the void in the Pacific Island competition pathway between club or provincial rugby in the respective islands and Test rugby was on its way to being filled. Coastal Stallions defeated Suva Highlanders 29-15 in a tough encounter to clinch the 2006 title.
Bligh Roosters joined the 2007 competition, Western Crusaders gave up Tavua, Vatukoula, Ba and Ra to the new franchise.
It was announced in 2008 that the competition would cease due to not achieving its player performance aims and low crowds. [1]
Fiji’s best 150 players are divided up into 6 professionally run franchises. These franchises play each other over 10 weeks culminating in a semi-final and final. The league uses 4 points for a win; 2 for a draw; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match; 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points or less. The top four teams then proceed to the semi-finals.
Nadroga-Navosa, Namosi, Serua and Malolo
Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, and Island Zone
Articles about people, places, things, and concepts related to or originating from Fiji, include:
Vanua Levu formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located 64 kilometres to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of 5,587.1 square kilometres (2,157.2 sq mi) and a population of 135,961 as of 2007.
Viti Levu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. It is the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population.
Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Fiji's geography has made it both a destination and a crossroads for migrations for many centuries.
Tavua is a town in Fiji, 91 kilometres from Nadi and 9 kilometres from the gold mining settlement of Vatukoula. It was formally incorporated as a Town in 1992 with the appointment of its first Mayor, Iliesa Vula from Tavualevu. The town covers a land area of 100 square kilometres, and had a population of 2,418 at the 1996 census.
The Fiji Football Association is the governing body of football in Fiji. It came into existence in 1961. It is the overseeing body of the Fiji National Team and its leagues.
The Diocese of Polynesia, or the Tikanga Pasefika serves Anglicans in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands, within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The diocese's first bishop was consecrated in 1908. The diocese's cathedral is Holy Trinity Cathedral in Suva, Fiji.
The Northern Sharks is a former Fijian rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, and Island Zone. The team was added to Fiji's premier Colonial Cup competition in 2005; previously the Northern Division had belonged to the Suva franchise. The Sharks competed in the Cup from 2005 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Suva Highlanders is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Suva, Naitasiri and Kadavu. The team played in Fiji's premier the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Bligh Roosters is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Tavua, Vatukoula, Ba and Ra. The team played in Fiji's Colonial Cup in 2007 and 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Western Crusaders is a Fijian former rugby union team that had a franchise area coverering Lautoka, Nadi, and Yasawa. The team played in the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008 before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Coastal Stallions is a former Fijian rugby union team that had a franchise area covering Nadroga-Navosa, Namosi, Serua and Malolo. The team played in Fiji's premier rugby union competition the Colonial Cup from 2004 to 2008, winning the champioshup title three times before the competition ceased in 2008.
The Inter-District Championship (IDC) is the amateur Fijian football cup. Only five teams first took part in the first IDC held in Suva in 1938. From 1938 to 1975, the competition was initially held on a knock out format but in 1976 pool play was introduced. From 1985, the competition was held in two divisions with the introduction of a second level tournament known as the Premier Division. In 1999 there was a short lived third level division. With Navua registering its first ever win of the IDC tournament in 2009, all the current Super Premium Division teams have now won the Lloyd Farebrother Trophy one or more time(s).
The 2007 Colonial Cup was rugby union competition held in Fiji. The Fiji Rugby Union controls the Colonial Cup which is used to pick players for the Fiji national team.
Rail transport in Fiji moves cut sugar cane to crushing mills. Also, there used to be two horse-drawn street tramway systems, some other passenger systems, an underground mine system, and some tramways on construction projects. There are multiple other modes of transport in Fiji.
The sport of football in the country of Fiji is run by the Fiji Football Association. The association administers the national football team as well as the FPL. The national team has had little international success.
Verata is a Tikina in Fiji's Tailevu Province. It is made up of several sub-districts or Tikina makawa, namely: Verata, Namalata, Tai, Vugalei, and Taivugalei.
The Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy is a Fijian rugby union competition open to the regional representative teams of the districts of Fiji.
The 2019 Fiji Senior League was the second-highest division within the Fiji football league system after the Fiji Premier League in Fiji Senior League. It is currently contested by 12 teams with two groups of 6 teams and is run and overseen by the Fiji Football Association in Fiji.
The 2020 Fiji Senior League is the second-highest division within the Fiji football league system after the Fiji Premier League in Fiji Senior League. It is currently contested by 11 teams with two groups of 5 and 6 teams and is run and overseen by the Fiji Football Association.