It’s safe to say that the Australian Wallaroos 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign was a successful one.
Over the past couple of weeks I have written several articles about women’s rugby in Australia, questioning whether the ARU is willing to invest the funds necessary to make the women’s XV version of the game successful.
Regardless of what the ARU decide to do with the women’s XV format of the game going forward, given that the Wallaroos went into this Women’s Rugby World Cup the most prepared they had ever been for such a tournament, the goal had to be for the Wallaroos to finish better than they did at the last World Cup in 2013, where they finished in seventh place.
And that they did.
The Wallaroos started the tournament with a loss to Ireland and then a loss to Canada. After bouncing back with a victory over Japan last week, Australia’s next game was against Ireland (who narrowly defeated the Wallaroos in their opening match of the tournament by just two points).
In this encounter, Australia defeated Ireland 36-24, giving Australia an opportunity to take fifth place.
While the final score may suggest a convincing win by the Wallaroos, scores were tied at 12 all after 34 minutes of play. But on both sides of halftime, Australia managed to score 24 unanswered points with tries to Sharni Williams, Mahalia Murphy, Sarah Riordan and Millie Boyle.
With that win, Australia not only defeated the team that beat them in the opening game, but the Wallaroos also managed to secure their place in the 2021 World Cup.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
This victory meant that the Wallaroos had the opportunity to play Canada for fifth. Unfortunately Australia lost this game 43-12 and ended up finishing the tournament in sixth place with the Canadians being far too dominant. At times they absolutely exposed the defence of the Wallaroos.
A key word for the Wallaroos during this tournament was improvement – particularly when you compare their first performance against Ireland to their second. This is a team which has the ability to improve.
With the right investment and resources, I don’t see why the goal for the 2021 World Cup should be anything less than a top-four finish – but the work must start now.
The Wallaroos success at the World Cup was not the only positive news for women’s rugby this week.
Last week the AON University Women’s 7s kicked off with the opening leg of the tournament being held in Launceston. Featuring eight universities and with women from the Aussie Women’s 7s squad in every single team, this was an opportunity to watch both established and emerging talent in one weekend.
It may be too early to tell who will take out the tournament, but it was clear in the opening round that the Queensland teams are certainly ones to look out for. All three teams from Queensland made it to the final four spots with the University of Queensland winning the first leg, two points clear of their next competitor, Bond University.
What’s also clear is how important this tournament is for the Aussie Sevens coaching and high performance staff as an opportunity to scout for new talent ahead of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast next year and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
National coach Tim Walsh and high performance manager Scott Bowen watched all 20 games of the tournament and were no doubt impressed with some of the untested talent including Mackenzie Sadler, Lauren Murty, Lily Dick and Katie Harrison.
Sydneysiders, the next leg of the tournament happens next weekend at Macquarie University – so if your team is not playing in the NRL or AFL finals, come join me on the sidelines to watch some of the best new rugby sevens talent in the country.
Football
What are you doing on the 16th September?
I know what I’m doing. I’ll be heading to Pepper Stadium to watch the Matildas take on Brazil.
And it seems like I’m not the only one heading west, with it being reported earlier this week that less than 2,000 tickets remain for the game.
It’s been a big couple of weeks for the Matildas following their success at the Tournament of Nations, beating the United States for the first time and ending the tournament with a crushing victory over Canada.
The fact that so few tickets remain for the game demonstrates to me that women’s football in this country continues to go from strength to strength. I look forward to the Matildas continuing to build momentum ahead of next year’s Women’s Asian Cup.
And remember, the next edition of the W-League is not far away and it’s very hard for me not to get excited about Canberra United.
It has been announced in the last couple of weeks that Michelle Heyman has re-signed with the club for her eighth season with them and it was also announced this week that one of the most promising female football talents in the world, Ellie Carpenter will also be joining Canberra United for the upcoming season.
DaniE
Roar Guru
Yes all the European nations, the North American ones also have to a large degree.
Taylorman
Guest
Good timing, given NZ thrashed oz in netball on Sunday.
Johnno
Guest
If NZ is so Uber talented genetically why has Australia been dominating them at Netball now for close to 15 years. NZ haven’t won a women’s world cup since 2003 in Netball. Oh and this genetic stuff, a little inconvenient truth for NZ netball, Irene Van Dyke as we all know is South African who moved to NZ, she hasn’t got 1% DNA of NZ in her body. She played for South Africa then moved. She is Afrikanner her DNA is Dutch/German, tall etc. Both dutch/germans are amongst tallest people in the world no surprises why Boks are so good at rugby and produce tall locks suited to the line-out.. So this NZ is the best athletes stuff is a myth, and many of there best rugby players have Pacific Islander in them not NZ Maori or white kiwi. Think Lomu/Julian Savea/Joeli Vidiri and others they are from pacific islands DNA..
republican
Guest
.........and have any other competitor?
republican
Guest
.......they are mediocre especially when you consider that post Olympics they have been anything but Earth shattering. They indeed epitomise Australian sport these days, i.e. promising much but delivering little..........
Maddie
Guest
Sixth is success? Dream on...
Muzzo
Guest
Perhaps a few more Trans Tasman encounters may, help these ladies to go even better than their sixth place,at the next World Cup, as there is definitely the talent there, to achieve that.
puff
Guest
Mary, how do you measure success, to be fair the disparity between the top four teams and the Wallaroo’s in sixth is some distance. Without been to critical they struggle to cover the field effectively in both defense and attack and became a little lost at times. The final was a classy affair with both ENG / NZ telling the world that women’s rugby has very much arrived at the top table. For the Wallaroo’s to receive accolades moving forward, they need sponsors, investment and a much more savvy coaching staff. Unfortunately the environment within the ARU is not the special at this time and if the administrators need to make choices it will be the ladies who pay the price.
Hugo
Guest
Hi Mary. It's been said that, on sheer athletic ability, Kiwis, both genders, are best in the world. Not everybody agrees. NZ has little success in track and field, for example (and Australia little more). But it sure does come out in NZ's national sport. If rugby were the biggest sport in Oz, there's no way that France would blank the Wallaroos 48 zip as they did. But then rugby isn't the biggest sport in France, either. I believe team England is all pro while the Black Ferns XV have only several players on contract and they're sevens pros. So a large infusion from the ARU would certainly help results. Question for you - what's the current position of rugby in womens high schools/private schools in Sydney and Brisbane?
Johnno
Guest
in front of a big crowd and exposure, that's the main thing result is less important at this stage... There rank 6th in the world the wallaroos..
mikado
Guest
Thanks for that Mary. It was a pretty good tournament for the Wallaroos, who improved throughout and had a good driving game. They did however benefit from Ireland's disappointing form. 4th in the world is a long way off unless someone invests heavily in the 15s game in Australia. The current top four (NZ, Eng, Can, Fra) benefit from regular matches and decent funding. Ireland and USA are not that far behind.
Fionn
Guest
Cheers, Mary. Seeing the girls overcome a dispiriting loss in a tight one to Ireland in the first round only to come back so strongly at the end of the tournament. They played with passion and did Australia proud. The RWC final was something, wasn't it? England and the Black Ferns are two very good teams.
DaniE
Roar Guru
We have to be realistic with timing I think - if some SS sides only institute their women's sides in 2019, then I'd rather wait a good few years for the women's GF to be the curtain-raiser to the 1st grade SS GF, to ensure its up to standard. And the women's rugby audience won't be at a number that would bolster men's attendances for a while.
Nomad
Guest
Johnno we can all agree the Wallaroos need more matches to develop, but i'm not sure getting an annual walloping from the world champion Black Ferns, as a Bledisloe curtain raiser, is what they need... more games against better matched opponents would be more helpful.
Johnno
Guest
Interesting now with all that Shute shield stuff on the weekend, the SRU boss David Begg says all Shute shield sides will have to have a Women's 15's and 7's side by 2019. I think that's a wonderful idea and strategic direction. Yes funds will have to be found but there are sponsors out there who would finance women's rugby more. The women's world cup has been awesome. I'd certainly like the curtain raiser of the Shute GF to be women's 1st grade, it would attract a wider audience and all the little girls who go the grand final final get inspired. One day women might be able to get 20,000 at a stand alone GF in rugby union at north sydney oval, not be a curtain raiser match e.g. ala women's tennis grand slam finals are played on separate nights to the men's... The wallaroos next year i reckon should play the NZ women's rugby side in a Bledisloe curtain wiser next year or 2019.. Women's rugby is on the up it just needs some more investment..They won gold medal last year in 7's which was good, now 15's needs more of a jolt but the signs are promising..
DaniE
Roar Guru
I think 6th is a fairly good placement for the Wallaroos, Sportz. Our domestic program is very light in comparison to our competitors, and at the test level, only I think 6 test matches scheduled since the last world cup, the bulk of that being the 4 Nations tournament in July. To really challenge a top 5 position a less-cyclical approach to the Wallaroos performance is needed, but with funding and focus placed on 7s, I can't see that happening anytime soon.
Sportz
Guest
Mary, the 2nd loss was to France, not Canada. France thrashed them. So did Canada. NZ & Eng would have also thrashed them if they'd played them. I wouldn't call it a success. A country like Australia should be doing better than 6th really.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Definitely on my list for next week, Gyfox!
Wal
Roar Guru
Considering the Quality of the Rugby on show at the WRWC, it is a shame the only fully professional team was the English. I would be great for both WR and member unions invest in what will become a future cash cow.
Council
Guest
Love the condescending tone Mary! Leaving aside the tone of Micks comments, be the bigger person and don't stoop to his level. I haven't heard or read about the article in question, but think you'd do a good write up and article talking about it.