Two Pacific rugby sides may join Australian teams in their pre-season tournament leading up to the Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh made the announcement after the federal government said it will give $90 million to boost the code in Australia and Pacific.
The funding will target women and grassroots development to capitalise on Australia’s hosting of the men’s World Cup next year and women’s tournament in 2029.
Federal Sport Minister Anika Wells says the funding “will get more women, girls and grassroots players into rugby” and creating “a lasting legacy from the world cups.
“The benefits of these tournaments will be felt well beyond the final whistle …,” she says, pointing to the tourism and economic benefits from it.
“This is another way we are working with our Pacific neighbours to grow and strengthen our ties through sport,” she says.
TWO PACIFIC TEAMS PROPOSED FOR SR AUSTRALIA
“Rugby is the game of the Pacific, always has been and it’s important to preserve that,” Waugh says.
He said some of the funding will go towards development programs, coaching and facilities.
It also follows a proposal from the prime ministers of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga for two Pacific sides to join the four Super Rugby Australian franchises in their fledgling pre-season tournament.
“Competition’s really important, on country and we’ve seen a great example of what can be done,” Waugh says.
“There needs to be pathways on island … keeping young boys and girls at home with their families but offering the pathway to represent their country and also travel the world through rugby.”
World Rugby says $30m of the funding deal will be split evenly on two legacy programs, Impact Beyond Australia (domestic) and Impact Beyond Pacific (Oceania).
The domestic program is targeting a 38% growth in players number (more than 220,000) in four years, grow club games by 33% across 15s and sevens with a 30% increase in coaches and match officials.
It also wants to increase female participation by 70% by 2029.
World Rugby chairman and former Wallaby Brett Robinson says the two Cup tournaments are a “once‑in‑a‑generation” change to “supercharge” the game in Australia and across the Pacific.
ABOUT THE WORLD CUPS: The men’s rugby World Cup is feted as the world’s third largest sporting event. It will run from October 1 to November 13, 2027, in eight venues across seven cities involving 24 countries. Sixteen countries are due to compete in the women’s World Cup in 2029.
MORE RUGBY NEWS: New-look Super Rugby Pacific format for 2027 unveiled
