Women In Rugby... Right Here, Right Now

Moana Leilua is the Player Development Manager at the Melbourne Rebels, a position she has held since January 2020. Moana hails from Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), Aotearoa NZ, but has built her career in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). She has people and sports management experience having completed four seasons with the Counties Manukau Steelers for the Mitre 10 Cup ( now Bunnings NPC) as the Steelers Team Manager, the first pacific person and woman to be appointed in that capacity since Union was established in 1955. Moana has also served in the tertiary education sector working primarily with Pacific students and their families in the Counties Manukau region. Moana has completed a Bachelor of Science with the University of Auckland, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Waikato in 2018, and has represented Sāmoa in WRWC 2006, also Auckland, Counties Manukau and NZ Sāmoa in Rugby.

Mere Rakoroi is a member of the Fiji Rugby Union Board and has been a key driver for women's development in rugby. Mere was elected as a FRU Board Member in 2018 and reelected for a four-year term in 2019. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the role from her years of experience as the General Manager of Tanoa Plaza Hotel Suva. Throughout her time with FRU, Mere has advocated for the growth of women's competitions, resources, and participation. Mere was selected as the FRU delegate to Oceania Rugby in 2021 and was awarded a World Rugby Women's Executive Leadership Scholarship in 2022.

Oripa Lee's role in rugby development has been instrumental in growing the game for girls and women in Fiji. Oripa is the first female teacher in Fiji to earn her Level 2 coaching accreditation and coaches women to the National 7s Series and Marama Cup, as well as primary school students. In addition to her coaching, Oripa is a Get Into Rugby PLUS program Educator and empowers others to demonstrate, uphold, and implement rugby values in programs across the region. She also serves on committees, is a mother to five children, and has been a primary school teacher for 23 years. Oripa hails from Waciwaci in the island of Lakeba from the Lau group.