Devo Babas of Fiji Clinch NiuPower KMHL Sports Tok 7s Tourney

First-time participant of the 2025 NiuPower KMHL Sports Tok Rugby 7s, Devo Babas of Fiji, came with all guns blazing and took the eighth edition of the annual tournament by storm, snatching the Cup title following their 15-5 victory over the Valley Mantas on Sunday, April 20th, at Bava Park in Port Moresby. 

Being the current champions of the Bitter Marist 7s, which is the biggest grassroots tournament in Fiji, they used their championship credentials and flexed their muscles, remaining undefeated from the opening day to the big dance and ultimately snatched the prized silverware on foreign soil. 

The Babas team was formed four years ago by Salacieli Tabalailai, intending to identify, unearth, and expose the raw talents in the villages. Not only did the club create opportunities for talented rugby players, but it also made way for the youths to join the disciplinary forces - police, defence, and correctional service. 

Winning this championship came with its challenges, but the Babas kept their heads above the water and accomplished their task, claiming the bragging rights as the 2025 Sports Tok 7s champions. 

In a high-stakes Cup decider, the home side (Mantas) got off to a flying start with a five-pointer in the corner but failed to convert the try. The Babas responded a few minutes later and equalized the scoreline at 5-point apiece in the break. 

The Fijian side turned the screws on and exerted their dominance in the second half, keeping the courageous Mantas at bay and posting three unanswered tries to seal the deal and take the coveted trophy overseas.

Team Manager Salacieli Tabalailai acknowledged God and heaped praise on his players, expressing his appreciation to the sponsors, organizers of Sports Tok 7s, and everyone for turning up over the long Easter weekend.

“First of all, I want to thank the almighty God. I know we came all the way from Fiji and He has been our source of strength who made it possible for us. We have been believing in Him that He will carry us from Fiji to here,” Tabalailai remarked.

“Four years ago, we started this club (Devo Babas) from the grassroots level. We brought the boys from the village and taught them how to play rugby. 

“For us, we are so happy. We were not surprised by the win but we are so happy. We are glad that we are here to compete in the Sports Tok 7s tournament.

“I would like to thank NiuPower and Kumul Minerals Holdings Limited (KMHL) for the sponsorship in making it possible for us to travel from Fiji to PNG. If they didn’t sponsor us, we wouldn’t attend the tournament.”

Mr. Tabalailai thanked the Fiji community in PNG for the support and added that the country had prospective players, however, there’s more work to be done to elevate the level and competitiveness of the code in PNG.

“There are so many talented players here (PNG), but the administrators of rugby union need to lift the standard of the sport,” he said.

"A big thank you goes to the supporters of PNG, especially the Fiji community living in Port Moresby. We knew that it would be a tough tournament but because of their support, it has boosted our players."

Having in mind that this was their first international tour outside of Fiji, they came to the nation’s capital on a mission and entertained the fans, stole the spotlight, and brought the Cup to the “Soft Coral Capital of the World.”

The Devo Babas are now shifting their focus to participate in the upcoming tournaments or championships in Fiji and abroad, anticipating to keep growing and making their presence known.

The inclusion of an overseas team (Devo Babas) for the first time shows that the NiuPower KMHL Sports Tok 7s is growing and making inroads every year, aiming to become the premier sevens tournament in the country.  

The 2025 three-day (April 18-20) NiuPower KMHL Sports Tok Rugby 7s Tournament over the Easter weekend has been nothing short of entertaining to watch. The tournament lived up to everyone's expectations, delivering a successful and memorable seven-aside format.