Get into Rugby PLUS (Samoa)

Get into Rugby PLUS is a flagship sport for development program that embeds life skills learning with rugby union to promote positive behaviour, gender equality, and prevent violence against women, girls and boys.

Get into Rugby PLUS is jointly developed and implemented by Oceania Rugby, Fiji Rugby, UN Women and ChildFund. 

Building on World Rugby’s Get into Rugby initiative, and Samoa’s favourite sport, girls and boys in the program benefit from involvement in fun, progressive team activities led by trained coaches who model the values of inclusion and diversity, and create safe playing environments. 

Life skills learning components engage players in processes of critical thinking and reflection around issues of respectful relationships, gender stereotypes and violence to build the knowledge, confidence and resilience of young people. The curriculum uses rugby union’s values of integrity, solidarity, respect, discipline and passion as its foundation.

Get into Rugby PLUS supports regional initiatives to build gender equality and prevent violence against women, girls and boys. Developed specifically for communities within the Pacific region, the curriculum has been adapted from ChildFund’s award-winning sport for development program, Pass It Back.

Get into Rugby PLUS commenced in Fiji in 2018 and will be introduced in Samoa from 2021. Like the positive change evidenced in the program in Fiji, the Samoa program seeks to make an impact on both players and coaches, so they proactively promote gender equality and reduce the use of violence in their lives, and have knowledge and support to identify, reduce and report harassment and violence.

Get into Rugby PLUS is supported by the Australian Government through Team Up and co-funded through its partnership with Rugby Australia and Oceania Rugby; by UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership), funded primarily by the European Union, and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, and UN Women; and ChildFund.

With ChildFund’s support, Samoa Rugby Union is developing safeguarding standards and practices in line with the International Safeguarding Children in Sport guidelines to ensure children and vulnerable adults are physically and emotionally safe while participating in Samoa Rugby Union activities beyond the life of the program.

Participant feedback

“I now understand that girls have power like boys. Before, I thought only boys are allowed to play rugby but now I know girls can play too. Before, I was not confident to say no to my friends, now I am bold enough to say no. Before, I was too shy to speak up but not anymore. Before, I don’t like to share my problems but when I am in the program I get to know that we need to share our problem and it has changed me. I love to play rugby now.”
Female Player – Focus Group Discussion Participant

“It [Get into Rugby PLUS] has had such a great impact on my outlook in life. I had to change in order for this program to work. It has made me a better husband and father. I get to teach my players something that was never taught to me growing up. As they will grow up they will be that positive change our challenging Fiji needs right now.” 
Usaia Loki – GIR PLUS Fiji Coach & Educator