The stage is set for the 2023 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship, with cap­tains of the four captains gathered on Wednesday ahead of the super charged regional Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship, which starts today.

This will see the teams return to the field for the first time on the city of Gold Coast.

The top two teams from the com­petition between the Vodafone Fiji­ana XV (Fiji), Cassowaries (Papua New Guinea), Manusina XV (Sa­moa) and Tonga Women’s XV will qualify in the inaugural WXV. The first-place team will qualify in WXV Tier 2 and the second placed team for WXV-Tier 3.

The event will also serve as a plat­form for Pacific players to be select­ed for the Oceania Women’s Com­bine in August this year, in which the selectors will identify potential players to join Australia’s Super W teams on a PacificAus Sports’ scholarship.

Next generation

Vodafone Fijiana XV captain Sereima Leweniqila said the tour­nament is important, not only to defend the title but enjoy rugby, to qualify for XV for the first time and make history.

“The opportunity to play for WXV is really important, with more ex­posure and game time, it’ll empow­er, inspire young girls to join rugby and we get to preach the gospel of rugby to not only Fiji but also our neighbouring Pasifika sisters,” Leweniqila said.

“To be qualified, it’ll give so much more inspiration for younger girls to join and get on board of the Women’s Rugby around the Pacific.

“We are quite excited, we’ve got a few young girls, preparations and team bonding has been high, so we got go out there and try and defend our title.”

The 2023 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship will be held at the home to the Bond University Rugby.

Oceania Rugby general manager, Frank Puletua spoke to the sig­nificance of the WXV for Women’s Rugby in the region:

“The opportunity for our regional teams to go on to compete in World Rugby’s WXV from the Oceania Championship is a game changer for women’s rugby in Oceania.

Fijian to officiate

We will see more of our teams, es­pecially from the Pacific, exposed to more International Rugby on an annual basis which will only lift their standards and competitive­ness.

“Oceania Rugby is grateful for the support of Gold Coast Council, Bond University and PacificAus Sports in bringing the Oceania re­gion’s premier women’s XVs com­petition to the Gold Coast, Queens­land,” said Puletua.

Manusina XV Samoa captain Sui Pauaraisa said the tournament gives them the opportunity to qual­ify for World XV, and is one of their goals as a team leading up to World Rugby Women’s World Cup 2025.

“It is rewarding and it’s impor­tant for its growth, it gives our lo­cal girls the opportunity to experi­ence that level of Rugby. Manusina is an inspiration for our next gen, it is important to pave the way for them,” Sui added.

Meanwhile, the match officials controlling the matches these weekend are, Ella Goldsmith (Aus­tralia) and Lavenia Racaca (Fiji).

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Source: Oceania Rugby

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