'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.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQ4UAfAa0C/
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).
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAV3vM3gYiM/
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
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments