ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY SHARKS RUGBY CLUB
SPORT AND RECREATION AWARD
NOMINATED FOR
Waite Oval, Netherby
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How would you describe yourself or your work in one sentence?
Da-dum…Da-dum… Da-dum! SHARKS!
Tell us a little about what you do
The Adelaide University Sharks is Adelaide’s gay & inclusive rugby union team providing the LGBTQIA+ community and allies the opportunity to be part of rugby union.
What impact or achievement are you most proud of this year?
Since our establishment in 2019, the Adelaide University Sharks have created Adelaide’s first organised queer-inclusive rugby union team, filling a major gap in community sport. As a third-grade side within the Adelaide University Rugby Union Football Club, the Sharks now compete in the Rugby Union South Australia competition and nationally in the Purchas Cup against other International Gay Rugby (IGR) teams.
In just a few years, the club has introduced dozens of players to organised sport for the first time, providing a safe and welcoming environment where LGBTQIA+ community members and allies can build confidence, develop skills, and challenge stereotypes about who rugby is for. By offering a structured team environment, the Sharks have increased access to inclusive sport in Adelaide and helped grow participation in rugby among people who previously felt excluded from traditional sporting spaces.
Beyond the field, the Sharks have strengthened visibility for inclusive sport by actively participating in major community events such as Feast Festival, Adelaide Pride March, and hosting an annual Pride Round in rugby. These initiatives have helped connect hundreds of community members with inclusive sport, increased awareness of LGBTQIA+ participation in rugby, and built stronger links between the sporting and queer communities in South Australia.
Why does your work matter to the community?
This work matters because it creates a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ people to play sport and be part of a team.
Many of our players had never played organised sport before joining the Sharks. Through the club they build confidence, friendships and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
By competing in local, state and international rugby, and participating in community events like Pride March and Feast Festival, the Sharks also increase visibility of LGBTQIA+ people in sport and help make rugby more inclusive for everyone.
What would you like voters to know when voting for you?
We continue to serve the community…And serve some more.