“Pride comes in many different forms. Pride can come in sexuality ... Pride can be of your culture, of your gender. For me, Pride Round is about that element of being a gay man and going, ‘I'm here, and I am capable’.” Chris Pezet, President of the Melbourne Chargers.
The annual Pride Round is set to return on Saturday, May 10 at Orrong Romanis Reserve in Prahan, bringing together both the rugby community and newcomers to the sport for a day of celebration.
Following the pandemic, there was a push to reignite not just rugby, but sport in general. As a gay and inclusive club, the Melbourne Chargers seized the opportunity to partner with Monash University Rugby Club to create the Pride Round exhibition match, an initiative aimed at welcoming more people to the sport.
The Chargers are paving the way for inclusivity and equality in rugby. Established in 2009 and operating under the Melbourne Rugby Club, the Melbourne Chargers have created a space where gay men and queer people can explore and embrace their passion for rugby, says Pezet.
“The Chargers give people a space to experiment and try something they never thought they had the capability or the possibility to do,” he says.
For the Melbourne Chargers, Pride Round is a valuable opportunity to introduce the game to more people. Pezet notes that while their come and try days typically attract 10 to 15 people, the most recent session drew in around 40 newcomers.
“We had essentially 40 of these new people that have never touched the ball before, have never played the sport, come down and just find a mate-ship, a brotherhood, and a team where they live and breathe it [rugby],” he says.
Michelle Lezzi, President of the Melbourne Rugby Club, praises the Chargers for the “outstanding job” they’ve done in growing both the club and the sport, taking the time, and year to develop these new players.
“There are players coming along who now feel like they’re part of a team and a part of a club, who potentially never played any kind of sport before,” she says. “They’ve got somewhere to go.”
For many of these new players, Pride Round will be their first chance to run onto the field, their moment to shine. It’s a chance to experience both the nerves and excitement of a real match. Off field, Monash University Rugby Club President Ruchurne Smith describes the atmosphere as “electric”. As someone who’s sat on the sidelines and competed in the Round, Smith says the real highlight is the camaraderie.
“The highlight is probably after the game ... doesn’t matter what’s on the scorecard, you shake hands, give each other a cuddle, and go, ‘how good was that?’,” he says.
Sport is a powerful vehicle for inclusivity and connection. In a nation passionate about sport, there’s nothing more fulfilling than joining a club where you can learn, grow and feel a sense of belonging. For Monash University, participating in Pride Round is a “privilege”. The event is not just a sporting occasion but a broader initiative promoting inclusivity and diversity across the broader community. The Pride Round is a day to celebrate everyone and each other’s achievements, Smith says.
“It’s bringing people together and having that mate-ship ... the Round not only pulls it out of ourselves [the players], but the broader rugby community.”
