The 2016 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship was the inaugural Oceania Championship for women's rugby in the region. It was held in Suva on November 5. It was part of the 2017 Rugby World Cup qualifying process.
Teams Three teams initially nominated for the tournament were Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. With their long history of World Cup participation, Samoa seemed to be favourites to become the region's entry. However, in a surprise move, Oceania Rugby refused Samoa's participation on the same grounds as World Rugby had barred Kenya and Uganda from African regional qualification – the lack of a robust domestic women's fifteens rugby tournament (almost all of Samoa's squads in past years had come from players living and playing in New Zealand and Australia). As such, the championship was decided in a one-off match between the remaining two teams, with Fiji winning to advance to the Repechage tournament in Hong Kong.
Playoff match
FB15Roela RadiniyavuniRW14Limaina WaiOC13Litiana LawedrauIC12Talica VodoLW11Paulini RavouvouFH10Merewalesi RokouonoSH9Rejieli UluinayauN88Sereana NagatalevuOF7Mere MotoBF6Joma RubutiRL5Laisa TagaLL4Fuga OfakimalinoTP3Esiteri BulikioboHK2Pasemaca BuadromoLP1Lailanie Burnes (c)Replacements:16Vlisi Vakaloloma17Mereoni Yabakidrau18Jowana Vuni19Makereta Tunidau20Sainimere Naleweniikataga21Tavaita Rowati22Mereani Moceituba23Wainikiti DekuCoach: Seremaia BaiFB15Joanne LagonaRW14Cassandra SampsonOC13Marlugu DixonIC12Kymlie RapillaLW11Nina SteinFH10Margaret Naua (c)SH9Victoria KamenN88Debbie KaoreOF7Lynette KwarulaBF6Melanie KawaRL5Clara BiyamahLL4Isi GoveaTP3Norah WartovoHK2Jane BukuLP1Pamela WaringeReplacements:16Lorraine Pomat17Geua Larry18Tracy Stains19Harkana Dixon20Theresanne Daimol21Angela Parao23Augusta Livuana24Helen AbauCoach: Sydney Wesley
References