Pacific Youth Cup highlights sport’s growing popularity among girls

Girls from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue and Maori were all represented at the second ever Pacific Youth Cup - highlighting why it’s one of the fastest growing sports for females.

Over the three-day tournament, the players also took the opportunity to proudly represent their communities and island, which Rugby League Samoa New Zealand coordinator Feleti Lefao says is another reason why rugby league is increasing in popularity.

“A lot of the girls have come through clubs so it’s a big honor for them to represent Samoa, and get the right people on board especially the community to support Samoa,” he says

“And as you see in the media the past couple of years, the girls’ and women’s space has taken off and we wanted to provide a pathway for our young females to aspire to, as we’ve always concentrated on the boys.”

Lefao says despite preconceptions in the past that the sport was too physical for girls, these competitions are helping to disprove these assumptions.

“It was probably very taboo back in our days for women to play contact sports, but it’s been welcomed with open arms by our families.

“Times have changed and our Pacific girls are physically up for these kinds of sports. Rugby league has taken off in Auckland for the girls space, [and] I think this year all the clubs have had a girls team and it’s flowed on to these tournaments.”

Lefao added that seeing a 90-year old grandmother come to watch one of her granddaughters also shows the impact the sport is having.

“For the Pacific families, you can see like today are coming out in numbers to support. It’s really special.”

Auckland Cook Islands Rugby League chairman Henry Turua says the popularity of the sport is reflective of the success of professional competitions for women like the NRLW (which is the NRL’s womens’ league competition).

“We’re only at the start of it, it’s only our second tournament and already we’re seeing the interest in playing the game. It’s also about getting our communities to get involved, and how great the tournament is.

“It’s run by Maori and Pacific, and that’s important to compete against each other but also come together and celebrate our culture.”

Fetu Samoa representatives at the PYC tournament in Mangere. Photo/Leone Vito-Toleafoa