Women’s participation in rugby is gaining momentum in Tanzania, with the Tanzania Rugby Union (TRU) describing the growing number of female players and teams in the SportPesaDar Rugby Sevens Circuit 2026 as a major milestone for the sport.
TRU president Jacob Jonas said the tournament had demonstrated growing interest in rugby across the country, with this year’s circuit covering five regions—Iringa, Dodoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam.
The Dar es Salaam leg had reached the knockout stages when Mr Jonas spoke, with the Union particularly encouraged by the increased participation of women.
He said more than four women’s teams participated in the competition for the first time, compared with just two teams during the Dodoma leg.
“The interest is growing. We have women coming from Monduli, Dodoma, Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro, as well as teams from the host area. As the Union, we consider this a positive development and one of the achievements of the tournament,” Mr Jonas said.
He said the progress reflected the impact of deliberate efforts by TRU to expand the sport and create more opportunities for players across the country.
Mr Jonas also commended stakeholders who supported the tournament, singling out SportPesa for its contribution towards making the competition possible.
“Planning is one thing, but implementation is another. We thank God that we were able to plan and implement what we had set out to do. I congratulate everyone who worked behind the scenes, particularly SportPesa, for ensuring that this happened,” he said.
Beyond increasing the number of female players, Mr Jonas said the tournaments could help address concerns among parents who remain reluctant to allow their children to participate in rugby because of fears about injuries.
He said allowing young players to travel for competitions, play and return home safely could gradually build confidence among parents and encourage wider participation.
“If a parent from Monduli allows their child to come and play, sees her perform well, return home safely and without serious injuries, I believe that will encourage other parents to allow their children to participate,” he said.
Mr Jonas stressed that rugby should no longer be viewed as a sport reserved for men, noting that the game offers opportunities for women, men and children of different age groups.
“Rugby has a lot to offer. We need to accept and believe that it is a good sport. It is not a sport for a particular group of people, and playing rugby does not necessarily mean that you will get injured. We need everyone to be part of the game,” he said.
The growing participation of women comes as TRU seeks to widen the sport’s reach and strengthen its competitive structure by providing more players with opportunities to compete at regional and national levels.