Around 50 women’s rugby leaders and emerging changemakers from across Oceania and beyond will meet in Sydney this week to support the growth of women’s and girls’ rugby across the Pacific.
Funded by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports, Impact Beyond Pasifika aims to build a lasting Pacific rugby legacy from Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in Australia in 2027 and 2029.
The Impact Beyond Pasifika Women & Girls’ Rugby Summit, held from 15 – 17 October, will bring regional stakeholders together to share knowledge, strengthen leadership and develop opportunities for the women’s game.
Attendees will include Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, and Dame Farah Palmer, World Rugby Hall of Fame and Council Member and former captain of New Zealand’s women’s international team, the Black Ferns, alongside representatives from rugby unions, development programmes and partner organisations.”
World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby, Sally Horrox said: “Growing women’s rugby cannot be achieved by any one union, organisation or individual acting alone. It takes collaboration, shared learning, collective investment and a willingness to support one another.
“Over the next three days, we have an opportunity to shape the next chapter of women’s rugby across Oceania. We will connect, challenge our thinking, learn from one another and, crucially, to turn our collective ambition into meaningful action that will provide a lasting impact in region.”
The summit is part of Impact Beyond Pasifika Super Week running from 13th October, which will also bring together the eight respective finalists of Oceania Rugby CAMP and Whiteboard and Whistles Match Officials network. Each programme will run its own activities during the week alongside the Summit.
Sheridan Graham-Tupaea, Women’s Rugby Programme Manager at Oceania Rugby, said the Summit would bring together the people, communities and women driving change across the Pacific.
“The strength of women’s rugby in Oceania lies in our people, our communities and the incredible women who continue to lead change across the Pacific,” she said.
“This Summit is about bringing those voices together, recognising the work already happening “within our Member Unions, and creating space for Pacific-led solutions that reflect the unique needs and aspirations of our region.”
She said Impact Beyond Pasifika presented an opportunity to turn the momentum of back-to-back Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029 into a legacy that extends beyond Australia and beyond the field of play.
“It’s about investing in our women, strengthening our leadership and creating opportunities for the next generation of girls to see themselves not only playing rugby, but leading it,” she said.
“Most importantly, we want everyone to leave Sydney feeling connected, empowered and ready to turn our shared ambitions into action.”
As the region looks towards Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia, Impact Beyond Pasifika will help turn shared ambition into stronger pathways, partnerships and opportunities—so more women and girls can participate, lead and thrive in rugby.
