The Prime Minister hopes New Zealand's successful 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup bid will help boost engagement for women and girls, after releasing her support video of the bid.
"Obviously we were up against Australia for hosting rights, so it's fantastic to have our world champions now with that opportunity for New Zealand to host," Jacinda Ardern said from Singapore.
It’s the first time it will be held in the Southern Hemisphere.
"There's a bit of a plan for some of that hosting to be between Auckland and the north, a fantastic opportunity to engage more people, including girls and women in the sport," Ms Ardern said.
It comes after the announcement this morning of New Zealand's successful bid , with World Rugby's Bill Beaumont saying the New Zealand "passion for the sport" saw a successful bid.
Ms Ardern acknowledged rugby legend and NZ Rugby board member Dr Farah Palmer, "who played a huge role" in presenting the bid alongside fellow board member Mark Robinson and NZR chief executive Steve Tew.
Ms Ardern joined the bid via video, presenting New Zealand's case for hosting rights.
"We are so proud of the strength of the women's game in New Zealand," Ms Ardern said in the video. "Something else I'm proud of is to be Prime Minister in a country that has a strong history of leading the way on women's rights - like our record of being the first country where women won the right to vote back in 1893.
"And I'm equally proud to lead a Government committed to gender equality across all areas of society, including sport.
"We understand that this event is an opportunity to inspire the change we want to see in the world."
She ended the video with, "so come on down".
The Prime Minister makes a case for New Zealand in the video.
The first year of the Women's Rugby World Cup was in 1991 and since then the quadrennial tournament has been held in Wales, Scotland, The Netherlands, Spain, Canada, England, France and last year in Ireland. Out of the eight previous World Cups, New Zealand has won five. The tournament has never been held in the Southern Hemisphere.
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