Brisbane celebrates inclusive rugby as it hosts the 2026 Bingham Cup
The Brisbane Hustlers are gearing-up for a global sports event promoting diversity and community
Brisbane, Australia, has finally welcomed rugby players from around the world, as it hosts the 2026 Bingham Cup and Amanda Mark Cup.
It's one of the most anticipated events in the inclusive rugby calendar, and this year has seen The Brisbane Hustlers RUFC selected as the organisers as the globe comes together, celebrating LGBTQ+ and inclusive rughy.
The Brisbane Hustlers RUFC was selected to organise the event, which honours Mark Kendall Bingham, a hero from United Airlines Flight 93 on 11th September 2001, who embodied values of diversity and inclusivity in sport.
'I'll never forget my first Bingham Cup'
Jason Garrick is the event's Project Lead, and has called the 2026 Bingham Cup a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' for the athletes.
He's been catching up with Hits Radio Pride, ahead of the competition kicking-off, and said: "The role I've taken up is such a huge responsibility to stand up, create, and curate an unforgettable experience.
"I'll never forget my first Bingham Cup, and I'm trying to make sure that legacy and concept of hope is what we also achieve in 2026."
Jason got involved in gay rugby as a promise to his late dad.
"When I was 19 years old, being gay in Central Queensland wasn't really talked about," he added.
"Just before dad passed away in 2006, he must have known something.
"He said he had one wish for me, and that was to go back to team sport, and I was thinking he was talking about college rugby, but I wasn't brave enough then.
"When I was doing my law degree, I came across an article in a magazine about a competition happening in Queensland, and I just remembered the name of the Brisbane Hustlers.
"I went to a hotel, and they happened to be fundraising that night.
"One of my friends, who came with me, gave me a deal - buy $100 of tickets, and if we lost, I had to go to training.
"Well, we lost, and so, I picked up my bottom lip, and turned up to training.
"That's where I discovered what the game of inclusive rugby really was.
"I loved sport, but it became very unsafe very early on in my life, but I lost a bet, my father had made a promise, and it was just the universe aligning.
"Rugby gave me and my family an opportunity to re-engage through sport, and that was a real catalyst of change for us.
"That's why this game has become so intoxicating, because it's not only given me friends, but it gave me a pathway to having more meaningful conversations about my sexuality, at a time when it was really hard.
"So, my first ever Bingham Cup really was a moment."
'Rugby is a real catalyst for change'
It's the second time the tournament has been hosted in Australia in its over 20-yar history, so the pressure is on.
And since the first iteration, times might have changed, but Jason tells us it's clear that the conversations happening now are just as important as back then.
He said: "We're in an environment which isn't as supportive of LGBT+ inclusion in sport, and in our communities, so it's a very different conversation right now.
"What is important, though, and what is so wonderful is that the 2026 iteration is the biggest Bingham Cup outside of Europe ever.
"That's a really wonderful achievement to have unlocked.
"But it's not just ours - it's a reflection of the hard work of volunteer committees all around the world making it happen.
"The whole committee loves this game, we want people to play, we want people to be healthy.
"So, the pressure of holding the tournament is one thing, but that pressure is created by the fact that there are people who believe in this movement, and believe that rugby is a real catalyst for change.
"Our success is the success of clubs around the world, committing to this concept of coming together and competing - all while meeting wonderful people along the way."
'This is the Brisbane Hustlers' love letter to Brisbane'
Jason has described the arrival of the Cup as something special to him, special to local people, and a special opportunity to showcase his part of the world to the global LGBT+ community.
He added: "This is the Brisbane Hustlers' love letter to Brisbane, if I can be as romantic as that.
"The Hustlers has been a club that has worked so hard to build relationships in the local community, and what Bingham Brisbane is about is that we're showing the world we're known to be a bit 'rough around the edges', but we're passionate about our role in the world.
"It's an opportunity to show that this is a wonderful place to live, and spend time at.
"We're a great place to visit, and I think that's the opportunity that this event presents itself with.
"This is a town people are sleeping on, and we have the opportunity to share that, and that's really cool."
'Our resilience truly sets us apart'
Maddison Dennison, Chair of IGR (International Gay Rugby) said: “The spirit of the rugby community is grounded in a few key virtues, but I’ve always found that our resilience truly sets us apart.
"Whether that’s showing up to a club as your true self, getting up off the pitch after a hard tackle, or pulling yourself out from the bottom of a ruck. I’d like to personally congratulate, and thank, the Brisbane Hustlers for sticking with their Bingham dreams all these years; I can’t wait to see everyone in Australia in 2026.”
Brisbane Hustlers Club President Steve Bevan said: “We can’t wait to showcase our world-class rugby fields to participants from around the globe. Beyond the game, Brisbane’s vibrant nightlife promises an unforgettable experience.”
You can find out more about the Bingham Cup and the 2026 edition of the competition here.