A few NZ Falcons players have taken part in Australian gay rugby tournament the Purchas Cup in Brisbane, and are amped up to enter a full team next year. After forming in 2013, the Falcons are steadily getting ready for the gay equivalent of the Rugby World Cup, the Bingham Cup, which will be held in Sydney in August. A few players nipped across the Tasman for the Purchas Cup over the weekend, which Falcons Acting President Blair Dickman says was a great opportunity. “To date, New Zealand players were invited to play within the Barbarians team which consisted of excess players from the three Australian team,” he says. “Moving forward we plan to enter the NZ Falcons into the tournament and make it truly an Australasian competition.” Purchas Cup 2014 organiser and Brisbane Hustlers member Marty Tebbutt says he’s extremely glad to see the NZ Falcons emerge. “I believe big things are on the way for this team, as you would expect from such a great rugby playing nation,” he says. There is some talk New Zealand could even host a future Purchas Cup. As for the 2014 tournament, the hosts won, beating the Sydney Convicts 12-5 at legendary ground Ballymore. Wallabies legend John Eales was full of praise for the event, telling the Brisbane Times: “It sends a clear message that rugby is an inclusive sport and that regardless of sexuality gay people are welcome, just as they should be in any sport."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 20th March 2014 - 11:05am