New inclusive rugby team debuts in Auckland, welcoming all players

A new inclusive rugby team, the Te Papapa Wolves, has debuted in Auckland, New Zealand, welcoming all players regardless of background, age, or sexual orientation, with a particular focus on Pasifika Rainbow and Takatāpui individuals. This initiative marks the second inclusive rugby team in the country, joining the New Zealand Falcons established in 2013.

Co-founder Jay Fa'ata Vaeluaga explained that the team was inspired by a desire for a Pacific-centered, inclusive rugby environment. After approaching Auckland Rugby, he was directed to the Te Papapa rugby club, where he successfully convinced the board to form the team. Vaeluaga emphasized that the Te Papapa Wolves are rooted in Pacific values and aim to provide a space where players can be their authentic selves. He shared that while his experiences in mainstream rugby were mostly positive, the sport's traditionally masculine and patriarchal structure prevented him from fully expressing himself.

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As queer people, you know, we find we have to adapt and we have to find different versions of ourselves to suit the environment. Even though, I enjoyed playing in those mainstream teams, I still feel like I can never be fully myself and I think what this team is all about. It's welcoming everybody to be their authentic self and just be who you are and just enjoy playing rugby.

"As queer people, you know, we find we have to adapt and we have to find different versions of ourselves to suit the environment," Vaeluaga said. "Even though, I enjoyed playing in those mainstream teams, I still feel like I can never be fully myself and I think what this team is all about. It's welcoming everybody to be their authentic self and just be who you are and just enjoy playing rugby."

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The oldest person in our team is about in their late 50s and the youngest is 16. We've got a dad and son playing rugby for the first time together, we had parents who used to wait in the car and on the sideline where they come to drop off their kids in our junior teams. Now they see us training on the other field and they jump in.

For Vaeluaga, being part of the Te Papapa Wolves has been a "mana-enhancing" experience, fostering genuine connections and relationships beyond just being a safe space for rainbow communities. The team boasts a wide age range, from 16 to individuals in their late 50s. Vaeluaga noted heartwarming instances like a father and son playing together for the first time and parents who initially brought their children to junior practices now joining the senior team themselves.

In related news, former NRL player Kane Evans recently came out as gay, sharing his decades-long struggle to accept his sexuality. Evans, who played for several prominent clubs and represented Fiji, revealed he had tried to "escape who I am" and expressed regret over his association with Jeffrey Epstein, calling it "foolish."

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Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that... It's factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to (his) island, I never met any women