FIJI 7s men’s team will play New Caledonia in their first match as they defend the 2017 Oceania 7s title at the ANZ Stadium in Suva next month.
The draws was released by the Oceania Rugby yesterday.
“Careful consideration was taken for Oceania Rugby to depart from the traditional finals sequence of concluding a tournament with the men’s final,” Oceania Rugby president Richard Sapias said yesterday.
“Oceania Rugby believes this is a clear indication it is serious about increasing opportunities for participation and leadership for women and girls across the region by showcasing the women’s final at the 2017 Oceania Rugby Sevens Championship.”
The second day of competition will start with men’s championship quarter-finals with the potential for HSBC men’s series core teams Australia or Samoa kick starting the championship rounds.
“Rugby is one of the most popular and iconic sports in the Pacific,” said UN women Fiji multi-country office (MCO) representative Aleta Miller.
“The Oceania Rugby Sevens Championships is a perfect platform to encourage women’s equal participation in sport.
“We welcome Oceania Rugby’s decision to swap the traditional finals sequence as a clear demonstration of its strong commitment to gender equality in rugby and ensuring equal participation for women and girls.”
Minister for Youth and Sports Laisenia Tuitubou commended the initiative.
“As the Fijian economy continues to grow to new heights, we need to translate that growth directly into implementation of our policies to ensure every Fijian – particularly our women and young girls – play their part in society and the economy. This initiative puts women at the forefront and creates new role models,” Tuitubou said.
“Participation in sport enables women and girls to enjoy freedom of expression and movement and increase their self-esteem and self-confidence”
Pools;
Men’s A – Fiji, American Samoa, New Caledonia; Pools B- NZ, Cook islands, Nauru; Pool C- Australia, Tonga, Solomons; Pool D- Samoa, PNG, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Women’s Pool A- NZ, PNG, Cook Islands, Tahiti; Pool B- Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga.
