In Solomon Islands, rugby has long been seen as a male-dominated sport, but thanks to the RISE Rugby program, supported by Oceania Rugby and the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports, that perception is changing, and women like Ebony Finau, Florence Nodoro, and Freda Matangi are leading the way.
The RISE Rugby program is working to grow women’s rugby by not only supporting players but also empowering women in key leadership roles.
With funding from Australia, three senior positions at the Solomon Islands Rugby Union Federation (SIRUF) are now held by women: the Operations Officer, the Marketing, Media and Sponsorship Officer, and the Finance Officer.
This shift has already sparked change.
Under female leadership, the country has launched a national women’s rugby 7s team, created two new professional competitions, and reintroduced a women’s rugby 10s format to support high-performance development.
In September 2025, a women’s 15s tournament will be introduced.
SIRUF Chief Executive Officer Alivereti Mocelutu said the impact of the RISE Rugby program was evident when Solomon Islands’ national women’s rugby 7s team made history by reaching the semifinals of the 2024 Oceania 7s competition for the first time.
Ebony Finau, SIRUF’s Marketing, Media and Sponsorship Officer, had no rugby background when she joined, but she saw the RISE program as a chance to grow and help others grow too.
“Rugby isn’t very popular here, but I wanted to use my skills to promote events, trainings, and the players themselves,” she said.
Ebony completed Level 1 Coaching Training, took part in forums and mentoring, and even became a rugby commentator when Australia sponsored her to attend a rugby Commentary and Mobile Journalism Program in Fiji in June this year.
She’s especially proud of helping high school girls and young women find confidence and visibility in the sport.
“We’re breaking barriers. Women now feel they’re truly part of the rugby community,” she said.
Finance Officer Florence Nodoro also entered the sport through RISE Rugby, bringing her financial skills to manage budgets and support the program’s activities.
Over time, she found herself doing more than just numbers.
“I never expected to be organising tournaments or running rugby awareness sessions in schools, but the passion from the students and their excitement keeps me motivated,” she said.
Florence has seen growing respect for women in rugby, especially at the regional level, and credits support from the Australian Government for helping to make it possible.
For Operations Officer Freda Matangi, rugby has always been part of life.
With brothers who played the sport, her own interest came naturally.
Now, she’s leading efforts to include more women in every part of the game not just as players, but also as coaches, referees, and event organisers.
“Before, rugby was run by men, now, women have a seat at the table,” she said.
Freda said the RISE Rugby program is laying groundwork for future generations.
“We want to inspire others and prove that rugby has a place for women at every level,” she said.
Together, Ebony, Florence, and Freda are helping transform rugby in Solomon Islands both on and off the field.
Through the RISE Rugby program, they are proving that with the right support and opportunity, women can lead, shape, and grow the sport.
The Australian Government has partnered with Oceania Rugby through its PacificAus Sports program since 2022 to deliver RISE Rugby in Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji.
It harnesses the power and popularity of rugby to address systemic barriers faced by women and girls in the Pacific region, advancing gender equality and fostering social and institutional change.
SIRUF President Honourable George Temahua MP said, “the President, Executive Members and the management and staff of SIRUF sincerely thank the Australian Government, through PacificAus Sports and Oceania Rugby, for recognising the importance of this program and choosing Solomon Islands as one of the recipients.”
The RISE Rugby program is not just about lifting players to be their best; it is about building the capacity of women coaches and officials – from the grassroots community level through to elite competition and providing talent pathways for Solomon Islands girls and women to excel in rugby in a range of different capacities.
– AHC
