Prime Position: No Woman No Try
‘No Woman No Try’ releases on 25 March 2022, marking Amazon’s latest addition to a growing bank of sports documentaries. The film follows three female rugby players through the 2020/21 season, pulling back the curtain on the highs and lows of the game.
Director Victoria Rush explains that the idea for the documentary came about in the wake of the 2020 ‘I Am Enough’ movement, a response to Canterbury using models rather than rugby players to showcase their women’s Ireland kit.
Despite massive amounts of social media traction within the women’s rugby community and an apology from Canterbury, Rush felt that the ‘I Am Enough’ movement was stuck in an echo chamber and not making real impact and change.
Speaking to RugbyPass, Rush says: “We know social media wouldn’t have been big enough on its own, what we created next had to be bigger. It had to be bigger than rugby, it had to be bigger than sport and I had to speak to the collective experiences of women all over the world.
“I felt that the best way for something like this to be seen and heard was a documentary shedding light on the incredible stories of these women in our sport. Breaking down barriers, creating conversations and making stars of female rugby players.”
Shaunagh Brown, one of the players featured in the documentary, is made for the screen; a ball of energy, the England and Harlequins prop cuts a charismatic figure who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Speaking on gender stereotypes, Brown is full of no nonsense one liners, noting that she “didn’t stop wearing a dress to go against society”, rather that she “just wanted to hang upside down on monkey bars without showing [her] knickers.” It’s no surprise that Brown’s childhood was full of rough and tumble outdoor play – before rising to rugby stardom in a mere three seasons, Brown also represented England in the hammer throw at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
I am so excited and humbled to announce my documentary @NoWomanNoTry will be released on @PrimeVideoSport – 25.03.22 ??Starring the incredible: @ShaunaghBrown, @stefanianella1, @AlemaZainab, @sueanstiss, @ugomonye & me.
Produced by me, Jack Tompkins & Ben Marlow pic.twitter.com/8rbt3shgbj
— Victoria Rush (@victoriahrush) March 4, 2022
Next up is Zainab Alema, a growing presence in both social media and the rugby world. The Richmond prop has gone public with her ambition to become the first black Muslim woman to play for England’s Red Roses. Her initial vision was to see a Muslim woman representing her country, but after some reflection the prop decided to dream bigger – why shouldn’t that woman be her?
No Woman No Try overlays Alema speaking about her rugby goals (cup of Earl Grey in hand) with footage of the prop’s hard carries – there’s a reason team-mates call her ‘the bulldozer’. Will she make it? We’ll have to wait and see, but that’s not really the point.
Regardless of whether Alema achieves her dreams, having a visible role model not just on the field but in the public eye could be a game changer for other girls and women picking up the oval ball. On finding out that it was “there in black and white” in the lawbook that hijab was allowed on the field, Zainab Alema stepped back into rugby – now she can inspire other women like her to do the same.
On the subject of clothing, let’s turn to Stefania Evans. As well as playing in the Premiership for Richmond, Bristol Bears and now Worcester Warriors, Evans is the founder of the astoundingly popular Ruggette RFC, a rugby apparel brand catering exclusively for women.
Perhaps ‘astoundingly popular’ isn’t quite the right phrase here – 2.7 million women play rugby globally with a rise in interest of up to 45% and yet there is very little provision for women in terms of female-fit kit (as shown by Harlequins’ gaffe this season). Evans speaks about how she is often faced with concerns from buyers around only wanting to buy one fit of shorts for men’s and women’s teams, to which she responds “women have worn the men’s shorts for the last 75 years, why not swap it over for one year and have the men wear women’s fit?”
I created No Woman No Try;
to stimulate conversations & break down barriers in sportWe wouldn’t be here today without the incredible people who said yes to a crazy ideas; @ShaunaghBrown, @stefanianella1, @AlemaZainab, @sueanstiss & @ugomonye.
You gave your everything to this? pic.twitter.com/Nm7uj1pcuv
— Victoria Rush (@victoriahrush) March 17, 2022
Ruggette has grown exponentially since inception, demonstrating the appetite for smart investments and business opportunity within women’s rugby. First mover advantage will favour those who invest early – women’s sports fans are more likely to purchase products linked to their sport, and make the bulk of household spending decisions. Selling the game day experience is also an area which clubs should work on – as Evans neatly put it “it’s not my uterus’ fault I don’t have a half time show and merchandise on sale”. Shaunagh Brown agrees, asking investors to “give women an opportunity and we will show we are worthy, as we always do.”
Despite the fact that 40% of athletes in the UK are female, they receive only 3% of sports media coverage. The quality of such coverage is objectively poorer than that afforded to their male counterparts. Although some games from the Premier 15s are now shown on BBC iPlayer, the majority require logging in to an obscure website through a complex registration process to access sub-par live streams.
‘No Woman No Try’ is a landmark event in terms of quality footage and production in a film exclusively about women’s rugby. Despite running over 75 minutes, there is the sense that there are still stories left untold, and it would be unsurprising if Amazon were to build on this with an All or Nothing style documentary on a Premier 15s team in future. All in all, ‘No Woman No Try’ showcases the game in all its grit and glory, from the training field right up to Premiership success – and it’s a bloody good watch.
‘How can we support women’s rugby?’, I hear the men reading this ask – and during the film former England and Harlequins wing and rugby pundit Ugo Monye asks this directly, saying that he wants to help grow the game without being called out as ‘woke’.
As it turns out, the answer is simple; watch women’s games, share results and commentary on social media, and turn up for matches. We don’t all need to be shouting from the rooftops with a megaphone (although if you need someone to do this, Victoria Rush will gladly volunteer!)
No Woman No Try is released on Amazon Prime on 25 March 2022.
Comments on RugbyPass
What was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
27 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
27 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
27 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to comments