'There are a lot of comparisons to what happens between us and the men but I always try think about the comparisons between the older Black Ferns and us now'
There’s no question that, until recently, women’s rugby has been well down the pecking order both in New Zealand and on a global level.
The fact that New Zealand’s Women’s Provincial Championship (known as the Farah Palmer Cup since 2016) wasn’t established until 1999 while the men’s equivalent kicked off 20 years earlier gives an indication of just how differently the two sexes have been treated.
Although we’re still a fair way away from equality, there’s been significantly increased investment in the women’s game both from World Rugby and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) over the last decade.
The latest public announcements from NZR, however, understandably upset a few people as Super Rugby and the Mitre 10 Cup’s coronavirus-impacted futures were both touched upon but there was no such info provided on the women’s calendar.
Wellington’s Alice Soper was one of the first to publicly raise the alarm, questioning why NZR appeared to have pushed the Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) and the Black Ferns’ international fixtures onto the backbenches – especially with the World Cup being hosted in New Zealand next year.
I want to know what is going on, in the dark too bloody long. Answer the question @NZRugby and NZ Sports media, trying asking the question for once! pic.twitter.com/9y8x7ZDdYK
— Alice Soper (@alicesoapbox) May 11, 2020
While Soper was entirely right that there was little information available to the public at the time – information which, perhaps, needed to be better relayed to the affected parties – that’s not reflective of the work that NZR are putting in behind the scene to get the women’s game up and running in the near future according to Black Fern Chelsea Alley.
“I’ve been working with the competitions group, with the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association and stuff and I know it doesn’t seem it, because not much has been shown to the public, but there’s a lot of work going on to make sure we get the Farah Palmer Cup up and running this year – and hopefully, some Black Ferns internationals as well,” Alley told RugbyPass.
“I know the RPA and NZR don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up and want to work out all the nuts and bolts before they kind of give anything to the public.
“I know girls are wondering, and they want to hear stuff but NZR are working their asses off, trying to get all these competitions up and running and sorting out contracts and all of that.”
The Black Ferns were scheduled to play eight matches this year – which may not seem like many to fan who solely follow the men’s game, but it’s the most games that the NZ national side will have played in a non-World Cup calendar year.
That record couldn’t come at a better time, with the World Cup just around the corner and the Black Ferns pumped to defend their title on home soil.
“Up until the last couple of years, it was very very rare we had a home game,” Alley said.
“A lot of the girls that have been on the team for a long time, it took some of them years for their family to ever see them play in black jersey – but there’s nothing like playing at home in front of family and actually giving them the opportunity to see you perform the haka and play. You just can’t beat that.
“New Zealand Rugby’s really given us some awesome opportunities to do that in the last few years and, obviously, with the World Cup next year, we’ll hopefully be getting even more supporters.”
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a huge spanner in the works for that World Cup. Preparation has obviously been seriously compromised but with the Olympics being pushed out until 2021, it could also make it difficult for players to fully participate in both sevens and XVs – although Alley is hopeful that no one will have to choose between the two.
Ironically, the last World Cup was moved by a year to increase the synergy between the four-yearly showpiece tournament and the Olympics.
It’s a problem that the men’s game simply doesn’t have in New Zealand, with there rarely being any overlap between the national sevens side and the All Blacks.
While it’s impossible to not be aware of the differences in benefits between the men and the women, Alley chooses to focus on how lucky the current crop of female players are compared to their predecessors.
“When I came in, we had it really good compared to some of the girls that have been in there years before me,” Alley said. “I’m really grateful to the players that really did pave the way in the game – they’re the ones that allowed us to be doing what we’re doing now.
“I know there are a lot of comparisons to what happens between us and the men but I always try to think about the comparisons between the older Black Ferns and us now, and what we get compared to them. I just stay grateful and think about what we’ve got, not what we don’t have.”
One of the biggest recent advancements is New Zealand players receiving full-time professional contracts which allow them to focus entirely on the game instead of having to hold down other jobs throughout the year.
“When the first contracts came along, I knew that it was just a huge moment for women’s rugby,” said Alley.
“It made life easier for us, who were already in the team, but it’s also given a career pathway and opportunity for young girls to see that they could actually make a living off rugby, which makes our message to young girls a lot easier.”
The range of facilities and teams on offer has also grown in the last few years, with players no longer having to travel long distances just to play in a provincial representative team. When Alley was younger, she had to drive from Hamilton to Auckland multiple times a week in to represent Auckland as the Waikato side had been placed on ice for six seasons. They were reinstated in 2012 and, with the establishment of a Northland team last year, 13 of the 14 Mitre 10 Cup sides now have corresponding FPC teams (Southland is the lone absence).
Women are also getting recognised for their exploits more than in the past, with Kendra Cocksedge named the NZ Player of the Year in 2018 and the Black Ferns Sevens crowned the NZ Team of the Year for the last two seasons running.
“There have been so many firsts in the last few years,” Alley said. “The exposure in New Zealand and on the world stage has been huge.
“Obviously, I’m really grateful to New Zealand Rugby for investing a lot more in us and giving us all these opportunities that we’ve had of late. And the same for World Rugby, supporting all these tournaments, making World Cups really meaningful and getting more exposure has been really cool.”
There’s still room to grow, of course, and while external investment will always be necessary to help expand the women’s game, there’s an onus on the players to do their part too.
“We’re not quite where we want to be, but we’re getting there,” said Alley.
“I’ve been around quite a few schools and spoken to a lot of young players. There’s so much talent and there’s so much passion for women’s rugby out there. And they know the names of the big stars and stuff these days – everyone knows who Portia Woodman is.
“When I think about the future and where we’ve come from in the last few years, we’ve come so far. I just hope that we – the players who are the team now – can keep making the Black Ferns name even bigger and help get us more exposure so there are more girls coming into the game and getting to experience everything we’ve experienced.”
The World Cup in New Zealand will be a huge boon for the players the game itself – now we just have to wait and see what NZR can cook up this year to keep the Black Ferns fit and firing for 2021.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments