The Fiji Bulikula women’s rugby league team were handed a monetary boost to aid in their preparations for the 2024 NRL Pacific Championships by the Ministry for Women, Children and Social Protection at Naibati House in Suva yesterday.
A wave of optimism filled the first floor conference room where the handover took place, as minister Lynda Tabuya and team officials expressed their mutual support for the progression of women’s rugby league in Fiji.
Tabuya was hopeful the handover would be the catalyst of an ongoing partnership between the ministry and the team.
“I hope that we will be able to nurture this relationship and we’ll be able to find more young women from the vanua or even left out in the union (rugby union) who will come into rugby league and get a huge opportunity,” Tabuya said.
Joe Rabele, head coach of the team, expressed a profound appreciation for the timely assistance accorded.
As their male counterparts, the Fiji Bati, prepare to take on the Papua New Guinea Kumuls this Saturday, Rabele acknowledged their presence in the NRL Pacific Championships as a morale booster for the side.
“The men’s team (Bati) have already qualified for the World Cup (Rugby League World Cup) and it would motivate the girls to play hard and try to qualify for the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup,” he said.
Rabele also mentioned the women’s side will march into camp this Saturday once all overseas based players have arrived in the country.
The Bulikulas face the Cook Islands Moana team on Saturday, October 26, at the HFC Bank Stadium.
