Kingdom 7's Tournament set for 'Atele in October [1]
Friday, August 4, 2017 - 18:09. Updated on Friday, August 4, 2017 - 18:35.
Tonga will hold a Sevens Rugby Tournament, the Kingdom 7's for both men and women set for October 6-7 to be held at the 'Atele rugby grounds.
The tournament is co-sponsored by Digicel Tonga Ltd with $10,000 pa’anga and UN Women who donated USD$10,000 in partnership with Talitha Project.
Digicel Tonga CEO Ben Kealy said today the tournament is aimed to showcase the rugby talent we have in the country, develop and foster local players for both men and women at the national level.
"This tournament will provide the perfect opportunity for international clubs to see local talent at play."
Kingdom 7’s Organizing Committee chairlady and founder of Talitha Project, Vanessa Heleta said the tournament will help the committee establish a database of all Tonga Sevens rugby players, male and female, for the selection process of the country’s National Sevens teams for the International Sevens Rugby Series.
"We are delighted to have Digicel on board as our major sponsor for this first ever event as it speaks volume of their commitment to Tonga Rugby and allows us to also educate both our men and women on the importance of equal opportunities where rugby is concerned.”
At the same time, UN Tonga Office Representative Milika Tuita said, the UN Women Office is proud to co-fund the tournament alongside Digicel, as the event is pivotal in adding momentum towards the implementation of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieving Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls.
Digicel will also provide equipment and rugby gear for teams. The UN Women's donation will assist with training and prizes, as well as holding gender based training for players on violence against women and girls.
Registration of teams opens next week.