Festival of rugby hits Gippsland

Gippsland will play host to its own festival of rugby this Saturday.
The free community event will run from 11am to 5pm at Traralgon's Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.
Traralgon will be buzzing with activity as the centre welcomes "come and try" rugby activities, Melbourne Rebels players, cultural Pasifika performances, and lots of activities for families.
It is hosted by Rugby Victoria in partnership with the Melbourne Rebels, Regional Development Victoria, Latrobe City Council and community partners.
Rugby Victoria vice president and Gippsland local Liz Radcliffe said the festival is "first step of a broader strategy" to grow rugby in the area in the lead up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The games will feature rugby sevens at the Gippsland Sports and Entertainment Park in Morwell.
"Our vision is to establish a rugby club in the region with supporting school and development programs over the next three years," she said.
There will also be a big screen displaying the Melbourne Rebels vs Fijian Drua SuperW match and the Melbourne Rebels vs Fijian Drua Super Rugby Pacific matches.