More women’s team to play at Oceania 7s tourney in Fiji

MORE rugby players are set to compete in the Oceania Sevens from Nov 7-9 in Fiji in a bid to achieve equal participation and promote gender equality.
The event will be hosted for the third consecutive year, reflecting a global movement to achieve equal participation for women and men.
A total of 27 teams, 15 men and 12 women, will showcase their talent during the three-day tournament.
“Oceania Rugby is pleased to partner United Nations Women having more women and girls involved in Pacific rugby,” Oceania Rugby representative Cathy Wong said.
“This year’s tournament has a record number of women’s teams and we are excited about Vanuatu who will field an international women’s rugby team for the first time.
“The Oceania Sevens continue to provide pathways for women in the region to play rugby, with Oceania Rugby and World Rugby experiencing a surge in women taking up the game as seen with Pacific nations fielding for the first time women’s teams, including Solomon Islands in 2017, Nauru in 2018 and Vanuatu in 2019.”
Ending Violence against Women Programme specialist Abigail Erikson said the Oceania Sevens were an agent of change to encourage equal participation of women and girls through sports.
“UN Women, as the global champion for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, is proud to work together with Oceania Rugby toward an equal playing field,” she said.
“By supporting more women and girls to play rugby and other sports at an equal level with men, we can encourage social change by demonstrating there is no limit to what women and girls can do.”