More women to play 7s: Portia

There is a need for more wom­en's team to play at the Mc­Donald's Fiji Coral Coast 7s tournament.

This was the view of former New Zealand 7s captain and top try scor­er Portia Woodman-Wickcliffe.

Woodman-Wickliffe and South Af­rica's Rosko Specman were the two ambassadors of the three-day tour­nament.

"Fiji is known to be the home of sevens, so to be here as ambassador for the Coral Coast is truly an hon­our," Woodman-Wickcliffe said.

"The crowd, the weather, fans for the last couple of days, have been amazing.

"What I would love is more wom­en's teams, more youth women's teams to allow their progress for more women's teams as well.

"I want girls to know that we're boss at rugby. We're so good, and our game is really exciting.

"So, find your friends, find girls that want to play the game, or, if you have to, go get your brothers, go get your cousins, play with them so that when you go and play against women, it's so much easier. But I would love to have more women's teams," she added.

Woodman-Wickcliffe also loved how fans back their local clubs more than like the national teams.

"I love that the crowd just gets behind their village teams. I really love that." She added they were accorded warm hospitality everywhere they've been to from the plane to town and to the villages.

"As soon as you get off the plane, you're greeted with a beautiful smile, and a big Bula, like, no mat­ter where you go, driving through Sigatoka, always big waves, and big love coming out of everyone else.

"My favourite thing about being here is the people, always."

Woodman-Wickcliffe and Spec­man were also inducted into the Coral Coast 7s Hall of Fame.