Rugby Australia launched season two of the Super W competition in this week and I continue to be pleased with the increased focus and attention that Rugby Australia is giving to the women’s XV version of the game.
This has not always been the case. In 2017, I wrote an article criticising Rugby Australia and questioning whether they were committed to success in the women’s XV format.
When I wrote that article, the Australian Wallaroos (Australia’s women’s XV team) were in Ireland competing in the World Cup with their total preparation including one Tri-Nations tournament earlier that year and a team camp prior to departure.
There was no way that this was going to be enough against the top teams in the world like France and New Zealand.
Despite limited opportunity for the team to prepare as a team, there were some promising performances out of the World Cup, including the team doing enough to secure their place at the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup by finishing sixth overall.
But what was clear was that if Rugby Australia wanted success for the women’s XV format and a top-four finish at the next World Cup, some changes needed to be made.
And changes have been made.
This started in December 2017 with the announcement of the Super W competition. That same week, Rugby Australia also confirmed that it would bid for the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup signalling a clear intention to focus on the XV format.
In January 2018, Australia announced a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with several positive announcements in relation to the women’s game.
This round of negotiations saw the CBA apply to the Wallabies, Wallaroos, Super Rugby and Aussie 7s players for the first time and guaranteed a base level of play for rugby sevens. A new pregnancy policy was also been built into the agreement. This CBA, again for the first time, also saw an agreement to pay the Wallaroos match payments for Test matches.
Liz Patu of Australia runs with the ball during a Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 match. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
The other significant moment last year was in August when the Wallaroos played in a double header match alongside the Wallabies for the first time on Australian soil. This was also the Wallaroos’ 50th Test match.
The only disappointing thing to happen last year was the decision to hold the 2021 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, despite significant support from the Australian Government and key stakeholders at Rugby Australia.
This potentially will give Australia the opportunity to bid once again when Australian women’s rugby is in an even stronger position.
Super W will begin on 23rd February and I am expecting an improvement in the standard of the competition, given that the teams have had the opportunity for a full-season together and there has been more time for preparation.
Given that the competition’s establishment was only announced on December 13 2017, with season one commencing in February of last year, teams had to move quickly to secure players.
There should be increased continuity from season one to season two, many of the players will have had the opportunity to play together before and because of this, I expect standards to improve.
The season will commence with the New South Wales Waratahs women playing the ACT Brumbies women in Canberra. The following weekend will see the Melbourne Rebels women play the Queensland Reds women, while the Rugby Western Australia Women’s team will also begin their 2019 campaign in Round 2.
Similar to last year, Rugby Australia has opted for a hybrid approach where some games will be held as double headers alongside the men’s Super Rugby, placing the women on equal footing with the men, but also through stand-alone fixtures, giving the women the chance to play at boutique venues which are becoming well associated with women’s sport (think of women’s cricket and many of you will automatically think of North Sydney Oval).
In attendance at the launch was also Australian Women’s Rugby President, Buildcorp Principal and the woman who is colloquially known as the ‘fairy godmother’ to the Australian Wallaroos – Josephine Sukkar.
Without Josephine’s ongoing and passionate advocacy and the continued financial support of Buildcorp it is unlikely we would have a Super W competition in the first place, so you can imagine her pride when she was able to announce a 20 per cent increase in women’s rugby XV participation.
It’s no coincidence that these improvements in participation have come off the back of the first Super W competition with women’s XV becoming more visible. You can’t be what you can’t see and now young women and girls can see opportunities for them to represent their state in the Super Rugby competition.
What’s the next thing to aspire to? Appropriately compensating players. How can you help? Support the competition – either by getting out to a game or watching the game on television.
This increased interest will help demonstrate to Rugby Australia that people are interested in women’s rugby and further encourage them to professionalise the game.
It’s only then that we will see real strides made in women’s rugby – just look to the increased quality of play in the women’s cricket space. So get out there in the next couple of weeks and throw your support behind women’s rugby – I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Onside
Guest
Mary, the gaping hole in articles about womens sports, is the paucity of female opinions and responses. As the convener of 'Women who dig womens sport' can you urgently get a group of girls together 'Women who post'. What's the point of trying to rev up a few blokes on this site who (like me ) are predictable with their responses, and are already committed to existing sports. I don't care much what a handful of blokes think about women's sport, but would love to hear from the girls. The need for Pay TV product has amplified a revolution in women's sport never seen before , so surely women not men are your target market . But we don't hear peeky boo from the women. Are women more likely to follow women's sport. What do they think. I'd love to know.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Haha. But you Westies are a different species. Something about Darwinism, methinks. Just joking!!!!!
John R
Roar Guru
I heard that Cameron Clyne had the part of his brain that recognises Western Australia surgically removed, because he just can't stand the human beings that choose to live there.
CJ
Guest
The real pathway for broader interest in women's rugby in Australia is through the Olympics. Because the stakes are so high and people will watch this event. As well, the game needs to find some really interesting personalities, like the Rhonda Rousey's in the UFC. And most of all, the skills level needs to become as good as the mens where it can. Find a female Quade Cooper, David Campese or Carlos Spencer. People can't be expected to watch the game out of some sense of social responsibility. In the same way, we see the fan base diminishing in mens rugby in Australia, cause aside from the much (unfairly) maligned Israel Folau, how many players really captivate the fans? Maybe KB on his better days. Find some great steppers, swervers and speedsters who have an interesting back story and people will watch. Perhaps this is where the issue of professionalization in the article comes in. And watch the UFC promos if you want to see how to market a sport for both men and women.
ncart
Roar Rookie
There;s a few clubs in Brisbane who are being proactive with girls - Sunnybank, Pine Rivers and Norths as well as Easts but strangely some of the other big clubs don't appear to be doing anything much. We're hoping that our actions help to grow it and bring more girls into the game - they love it.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Ironic that there's not depth for five men's teams, yet there's depth enough for five women's teams. Word about is that you guys may be returning in SR come 2020.
Harold
Guest
Thanks for the article but you reserve criticism for RU womens whereas womens RL your favourite code has been super slow in getting a smallish womens competition going and puts in a team from Sydney Easts (more Rooster favouritism) where barely any of the players are from.
Ex force fan
Guest
The double headers are not gonna work for the WA Woman's side - if you can still remember the Force was axed leaving no WA team to play. I wonder how long the WA Woman side will last despite having the most female rugby players (along with QLD) in the country. It is just too inconvenient for Clyne's RA to consider WA part of Rugby Australia.
cookie
Roar Guru
I'd love to see double headers, it gives us more bang for our buck. Getting girls and women involved in the game will only benefit rugby as whole. Watching last years final was thoroughly enjoyable.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Ncart You are lucky to have a daughter interested in rugby. I only had sins so my choices were easier. It sounds like Easts are being very proactive and that is a credit to the club and the parents of these young ladies. Good luck and hopefully your daughter scales the heights to play for the national team !
ncart
Roar Rookie
As a parent of a young female rugby player having the growth of the women's game is a great thing. We are actively involved in girls 7's now (having become too old to play mixed 15 a side with the boys) and 7s is getting a lot of new girls in (who wouldn't play against boys) and hopefully that can develop into 15 a side girls rugby so that there is a pathway from juniors through to seniors. The enthusiasm and attitude of the girls is great and the more of them that we can get involved the better for the game overall. Having the Super W competition continue to develop is great so as you say, girls can get to see female players in action. Our club, Easts in Brisbane, are holding a Come and Try day for girls rugby Sunday the 10th of February to expose more girls to the game and get them to learn some skills with coaches while their families learn about girls rugby and overcome any negative ideas that they might have about contact sport for girls. If any families of interested girls are in Brisbane then bring them along: https://eaststigers.com/news/girls-rugby-come-try/
Bobby
Roar Rookie
I think it will a long long time before many people actually pay money to watch women's rugby in its own right. I think from my perspective, my family, mates, colleagues etc would never actually pay to attend one of these matches. Might catch the end of a double header if played before the blokes game. Probably wouldn't stay after the men's game and if we dud it would be in the bar anyway. Until the women's game can genuinely stand alone it will have to be financially supported by RA
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
I would love to see the double headers being an afternoon game, have a men's game game first then the women's. This is the opposite of what would normally occur but I think it opens the opportunity for a larger crowd to watch the women's game. It is probable that the men's game will attract a higher crowd than the women which usually means that the crowd is still building while the women are playing. If the Men played first then at full time it would be an opportunity for those present to stay and have a couple of more beers with their mates and take in the women's game. I think more people would stay behind to watch another game than go to the ground early.