First Nations women claim Teuila International 7s title in Samoa

Australia's First Nations women are queens of the Pacific after taking out the prestigious Teuila International 7s in Samoa.

The tournament, hosted annually by Lakapi Samoa, is a showcase event of upcoming Pacific rugby talent, with the Australian First Nations side winning in their inaugural appearance.

Learn more about Rugby Australia's partnership with PacificAus Sports here.

Supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports, Rugby Australia, and the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team, the touring side ran through their competitors before defeating local team Striders 24-7 in the final.

Building on the growing ties between the two nations, the tour followed on from last year, in which Australia’s First Nations men’s team and the Australia A women’s side both took games to the Pacific Island nation.

‘Lloydies’ has been a significant pathway for Australian First Nations rugby players, named after Lloyd McDermott – the second First Nations player to represent Australia as a Wallaby.

On the men’s front, alumni include Kye Oates and Jarrah McLeod, who have both gone on to sign contracts with the ACT Brumbies and play for the First Nations & Pasifika XV against the British & Irish Lions.

In addition, teammate Gage Phillips secured a full-time deal with the Australian Men’s Sevens program.

The success of the women’s side, which includes captain Renae Nona, who has represented the Queensland Reds and Western Force, looms as a great pathway to help expand the women’s game.

The result comes off the back of the Australian women’s pathway continuing its growth in the region, with the Australia A women’s side hosting Samoa in Canberra earlier this year ahead of the World Cup, while Penina Pasifika plays regular fixtures against the Super Rugby Women’s sides.

As part of their tour, the First Nations women also got the chance to engage with local communities, with the aim of building closer connections with Samoa and the wider Pasifika communities.

“Having our First Nations women’s team tour Samoa for the first time is incredibly special,” said Rugby Australia’s First Nations Rugby Manager, Matthew Sonter.

“These players are representing their families, communities, and culture with pride, while also showing the next generation of young Indigenous women what’s possible through rugby.”

“I’ve always looked up to the women who paved the way in rugby, and now to wear the Lloydies jersey in Samoa feels amazing,” added Nona.

“It’s about more than just playing, it’s about representing who we are, our stories, and where we come from.”

PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high-performance coaching in Australia and internationally.

The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket, and Olympic/Paralympic sports, with funding split evenly between women's and men's sports.

PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s That Pacific Sports Show and ABC Radio’s Fresh Off the Field.

The high-performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific.