Rugby Australia's 'part of more' campaign shines new light on rugby

Mon, Mar 26, 2018, 1:00 AM
Rugby Australia
by Rugby Australia
Billy from Narromine. Photo: Rugby AU Media
Billy from Narromine. Photo: Rugby AU Media

Rugby Australia has today launched its new brand campaign #PartOfMore which showcases Rugby in a whole new light.

The national campaign kick starts an exciting new era for the code with a goal for the game to become more relevant, inclusive and accessible to all Australians.

As part of the initiative, the new ‘faces of Rugby’ have been unveiled through a series of powerful documentaries which tap into the lives of people who come from different backgrounds but share a strong connection with the game.

Amongst the mix is Wallabies Captain Michael Hooper, Wallabies Head Coach Michael Cheika and Australian Women’s Sevens player Charlotte Caslick who each open up about their climb to the top.

The other stories shine the light on people in the Rugby community who reveal how the game has helped them overcome some major life challenges, such as Billy from Narromine whose Rugby club has helped tackle mental health problems, and Caleb from Darwin who shares how Rugby has kept him off the streets.

The series also showcases inspiring women such as Raja from Sydney whose family has found acceptance through their local Rugby community, and school girl Amy from Jindabyne who rallied hard to get a female Rugby team at her local club.

Rugby Australia Head of Digital and Marketing Adam Freier said: ‘’This campaign forms part of our overarching vision to inspire all Australians to enjoy our great global game.

‘’We want people to know that Rugby doesn’t discriminate – it’s for girls, boys, men and women of all shapes, sizes or colour who want to be part of more than just a game.’’

Following this campaign Rugby Australia will prioritise building participation numbers across the country with a strong focus on school and club-based programs.

‘’Rugby is available to every school in Australia and any adult can start or join a team no matter where they’re based but it’s up to us to get the word out there,’’ said Freier.

The Rugby Australia #PartOfMore campaign has been completed in partnership with Sydney-based creative agency Digilante.

Meet the campaign heroes:

Amy from Jindabyne, New South Wales started playing Rugby at age nine and was the only girl in the team. When U12s finished she had nowhere to go so she rallied together a group of girls with the help of her dad and coach and created a team who became unstoppable.

Billy from Narromine, New South Wales claims Rugby is the lifeblood of his town. Narromine has survived some terrible droughts which often goes on hand in hand with mental health problems. However the local Rugby club has helped pull a lot of people through and recently raised 13 thousand dollars for those battling with depression.

St Johns Public College students Jimeon and Caleb first gave Rugby a crack in 2014. The pair have shared how Rugby has kept them out of trouble and off the streets. It’s taught them about self-discipline and respect which has changed their outlook on life and who they want to be.

Australian Women’s Sevens star Charlotte Caslick shares the hurdles she faced at a young age. While at school she tried to put a Rugby team together however the idea got rejected. With the support of her dad she managed to convince a group of girls to take part in a national tournament which led to her being selected for the Australian Youth Olympic team and the rest is history.

Josh works for the Northern Territory Rugby Union as the Participation Development Manager. He opens the door to anyone who wants to play Rugby and puts them on the right path to help them grow both on and off the field.

Lakeisha from Dubbo in central New South Wales reveals how Rugby has transformed her confidence. She’s proof that size doesn’t matter in Rugby because despite being one of the smallest girls on the team she’s unstoppable on the field. Her dream is to make the Olympics and inspire other girls that you can do anything.

Niki moved to Brisbane looking for a fresh start after seeing a string of mates be led down the wrong path and end up behind bars. Rugby has given him a purpose and made him a better person. To him the field is a place where he belongs and as he puts it ‘’Everyone comes from all sorts of backgrounds but it doesn’t matter because Rugby doesn’t have a background.’’

Raja and her family of five from Sydney shares how Rugby connected them to the wider community. On the field there’s no social status or identity – it’s just about how good you can play. Raja believes Rugby has the power to bring people together irrespective of where they come from.

The Qantas Wallabies story features Wallabies Head Coach Michael Cheika, Wallabies Captain Michael Hooper and former Wallabies Captain George Gregan who open up about their connection to the game and how the Australian community is instrumental to their success.

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