THE strength of a woman, in any capacity, knows no bounds. The driving force behind successful movements, helping society embrace critical junctures in civilisation and simultaneously breaking the glass ceiling.
The same ceiling now broken in sports and made possible through platforms such as the Oceania Rugby Women’s XV Championship, which looms closer as a new month begins today.
It’s the belief of change, progress and development that has propelled the Oceania Rugby movement to expand the region’s sporting frontiers towards elevating the platform on which women’s rugby stands, to becoming a formidable piece of change in Pacific societies now having to embrace the changing winds brought about by globalisation.
According to Oceania Rugby competitions manager Wayne Schuster, tournaments such as this are highly anticipated by the competing nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
“It’s always exciting every year; it’s something that these three nations look forward to in terms of their pathways, their promotion and the development of women’s rugby in the Pacific,” Schuster told Times Sport.
“It’s been a great platform in promoting women’s rugby and ensuring that the excitement and the fellowship continues in the Pacific.”
Part of ensuring the fellowship develops further and higher is breaking down the stigmas that have plagued the women’s branch of the sport for generations through the competition.
“The Oceania Women’s Championship has been their platform; I’d like to think in changing the perspectives and ensuring that our women are provided that equal platform in which to express and display the talents they do have and breaking down those stigmas,” Schuster emphasised.
With a year of various sporting engagements for the players in these teams, it will be all hands on deck for them as the competition looms closer this month.
The 2026 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship will be held from April 17-26.
The Vodafone Fijiana XV face Tonga in their first match at Churchill Park in Lautoka on April 17, Tonga faces Samoa at the same venue on April 21.
The third round is expected to be held at the Four R Stadium, Govind Park in Ba on April 25.
Meanwhile, the Fijiana XV recently lost to the Australian Wallaroos in a Test match.
