How the Women's Rugby World Cup has proven critic David Corkery wrong
The women’s world cup is gathering steam in Ireland right now, and whilst it’s already proving to be a cracking tournament a lot of attention is being paid to former Ireland international David Corkery, who wrote a scathing and nonsensical piece decrying the women’s game as “complicated and arduous”, as well as stating that the physicality of rugby is unsuitable behaviour for women. Now, the sensible thing to do here would be to not give such sexist nonsense the oxygen of publicity, but I’ve spent the last few days watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and playing Horizon Zero Dawn so I’m in the mood to smash the god damn patriarchy.
Here’s why Corkery is talking s***e:
The Competition:
We’re nearing the end of the tournament and all sorts of interesting dynamics have arisen. Defending champions England are looking good heading into the semi-finals. Wales are already out having ended up in the proverbial group of death but host nation Ireland overcame a scare against a determined Japan side to set up a dynamic final round clash with France, which they ultimately lost. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be extremely pleased to see how his side have been performing and New Zealand are of course running riot because this is rugby after all.
This world cup has been a gripping and fierce competition and it’s still anyone’s guess as to who will emerge victorious. Whilst there haven’t been any major shocks or upsets just yet, as the tournament progresses to the knockout rounds expect to see a more level playing field between the sides, adding the all-important air of unpredictability that makes sport so captivating to watch, regardless of gender.
The Quality:
A lot of the derision pointed at women’s sport is based on its supposed lack of quality. Some people will point to Hong Kong’s 121-0 demolition at the hands of New Zealand or Italy’s woeful kicking skills against England and suggest that women just aren’t good enough to play rugby. However, these iffy performances are not based on a biological essentialism, but rather are symptomatic of an underfunded system which means female athletes face major financial barriers in order to remain competitive.
It’s impossible for players to develop their full potential when they’ve got to juggle training with a full-time job, or when their coaching or training facilities are sub-par.
However, those points aside, the quality of the sport has never been better, and with full professionalism slowly coming into the game expect this upward trend to continue. England’s attacking prowess and clinical skills have demonstrated the benefits of giving players full-time contracts, and further fuelled the justified outrage that followed the announcement that those contracts would be coming to an end.
Ireland mixed silky attacking skills with some brutal forward strength to eventually defeat a Japan side whose defence was nothing short of outstanding at times.
Expect the double-figure point deficits to disappear over the next couple of years as more teams’ defensive quality catches up with the attack. With more investment coming in, as well as top-level coaches such as Fiji’s Olympic hero Ben Ryan becoming involved, Women’s Rugby is going from strength to strength on the field. Stick around to watch the later rounds of the tournament and you’ll see performances every bit the equal of any top quality men’s match.
National Pride:
In amongst Corkery’s rambling diatribe was the revelation that he wished the Ireland side well, but still wouldn’t be watching any of the games. He’s missing out. I’ve addressed before how international fixtures create an unparalleled atmosphere of national pride and good-natured hatred of other countries, and this is just as true in the Women’s tournament as the Men’s. Don your shirt adorned with whatever flower/farmyard animal your nationality dictates and belt out the anthems with pride, because the passion on display by players and spectators alike is no less than that of the higher-profile tournament. Plus any excuse to get drunk and cheer your country on tends to go down well.
The Brutality:
Corkery demonstrated some impressive mental gymnastics in his rant by declaring women’s rugby to be simultaneously not as entertaining as the men’s game, whilst also being overly physical and brutal. Apparently, women being “confrontational and aggressive” is “not what god intended”.
Seriously. I don’t know about anyone else, but the aggression and physicality is a huge part of why I love rugby, and some of the hits going in during this year’s tournament have been nothing short of brutal.
Of course there are issues of player safety to consider and there are plenty of people who find the whole thing a little too dangerous for their tastes. But if that’s your opinion then rugby as a whole isn’t for you, regardless of who’s playing it. Corkery should just be thankful Meya Bizer isn’t in the USA squad this year.
Conclusion:
Regardless of my amazingly well-written and objectively hilarious arguments here, there will be plenty of people who probably still agree with Corkery and think that the women’s game isn’t worth their time. There’s probably nothing that can be done to convince these people otherwise, which is a real shame.
But regardless of any sexism or misogyny at play, the main thing to take away from this is the simple fact that they’re missing out on some genuinely good rugby, played by phenomenal athletes in a brilliantly exciting tournament. Why not give it a chance?
Comments on RugbyPass
Bell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
13 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to comments