Sure, this week is all Bledisloe-focused and rightly so. Test rugby, new coach, new players – despite years of pain and anguish there is still that strange and despairing feeling of hope.
However, I feel the need to bang the drum again about Oz rugby’s women. I understand for some it’s boring, why bother, they are less skilled, blah, blah, blah which is fine. But serious credit goes to the women’s sevens again who by playing rugby league have provided rugby with great PR coverage in the mainstream media and social media channels.
It is coverage rugby would never have received, and we need as much as we can get to promote the sport.
Until last weekend I had watched very little rugby league this season, partly due to the fact I have found it a bit boring over the last couple of years plus my team hadn’t done particularly well.
But being a long time supporter of the women in sevens and 15s I was very keen to watch them have a crack at league – a quick glance of the squads revealed there are around 15 current and former sevens/15s players. I expected they would shape up pretty well, but actually they did better than I thought they would (while not being critical it probably shows that league is a lot tougher and physical, but it’s not that technical).
What was amusing was listening to the commentators who were stuck between a rock and hard place – praising the sevens women and therefore NRLW but not wanting to praise them too much.
Obviously leading up to and after the games there was a lot of focus on Charlotte Caslick and Ellia Green, who are both stars and naturally performed extremely well for their first game of league. I also need to reference Vani Pelite, who is an unsung hero of the sevens squad and had an outstanding game for the Warriors in both attack and defence.
But there were plenty of others including Super W players such as Shanice Parker, Kennedy Cherrington, Lavinia Gould and Millie Boyle who all more than held their own.
A quick look at some stats and the rugby women in the top five:
Tackle breaks: Vani Pelite and Kennedy Cherrington
Runs: Cherrington and Tiana Penitani
Run metres: Charlotte Caslick, Cherrington, Penitani
Post-contact metres: Penitani, Hannah Southwell, Cherrington
Line breaks: Parker, Cherrington
Kick return metres: Cherrington, Penitani, Boyle and Yasmin Meakes
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
I also have to note that while Caslick is seen as the attacking gun she is, her defence is often underrated – she made more tackles than any other back.
Often Rugby AU is a popular punching bag and at times rightly so, but a double credit must go to them – firstly, for permitting the sevens women to play NRLW – noting that New Zealand rugby strongly turned down a similar approach by the Warriors – a couple of the New Zealand sevens women were keen to have a crack.
Secondly, it showed the quality of the women’s sevens program in producing highly skilled and footy smart athletes, a program that probably does not get the recognition it deserves. Unfortunately, it is by playing another footy code that rugby sevens and the players are getting credit.
I know on Saturday there is the Shute Shield, Premier Rugby, Jack Scott and the like but as a prelim to Sunday’s Bledisloe, have a look at the rugby women in action especially the first Roosters versus Warriors game – you have Caslick, Meakes, Parker, Cherrington, Southwell, Zahara Temara and Grace Hamilton versus Green and Pelite.
It will be a good game to watch.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Fair enough...
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
That's a very complicated question - a big issue is rugby not being on free to air TV. In regards to scrums/ mauls, yep scrum resets are a problem, again a complicated issue but will say League and rugby are very different games - the core of rugby is the continual battle for possession be it scrums, line outs or mauls. On the other hand League is like NFL each team getting the opportunity to run plays. Just different.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Fair enough, great to have options isn't it. For info the Bledisloe game was a cracker.
Danny
Guest
Na I just love Cathar Tim. He is a proud "internationalist" and I love following him around. He stands out on the internet because there aren't many "internationalists" around. You just have to look at his history on here and the hatred towards all sports but Rugby League and you'll see why i have fun
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I'd rather watch the NRLW than the Bledisloe. Probably get more tries too
Danny
Guest
Why isn't Rugby League big enough to hold those "World" Cups desperately? And you want your sport to be taken seriously. For the 63rd time Cathar im not a Rah Rah. I follow respected International sport that doesn't blame others as to why it's a dead duck internationally
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Thanks Cathar 13, I should've realised he was a troll because he was telling us what other imaginary people said. If he gave us his opinion it would be worth discussing.
Danny
Guest
The Leftys is upset! It doesn't make the Womens side of Rugby League less embarrassing
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Suppose the Roar community likes to hear you call people with disabilities that name? You certainly shown your colors.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Getting to you Mr Alias. Classic rah rah language, you can't even admit you belong to that elitist morally devoid past time for the haters. What are you 5? Haven't heard that since primary school lol Daddy taught you well..
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
I suppose you luv me so much you troll using my partner's name several times? You are one deluded person. You're the one with hate in your heart. Get over yourself. Good to see you keeping up to date with the NRLW, I suppose TV ratings were tagged onto the men's game even though they were several hours apart lol
Danny
Guest
Im not a Rah Rah Cathar for the 62nd time.. You want me to be one because you hate the sport and you hate me. Is that the same NRLW with only 4 teams that has to be played before the men's? Is it the same comp where the Rah Rahs walk straight into teams and dominate? Its been put together to not get even further behind all other sports. RL does the same thing with its "Internationals" Yea it's going great guns Cathar!
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
You're really good at accusing other people of hatred with no evidence except your absurd straw man that represents the Rugby League community. I shouldn't feed the trolls but you did suck me in and I should've realised when you said "hatred of anything that isn’t League" as that is absurd.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
https://www.ukad.org.uk/sanctions Have a look at the rugby union doping lists in the UK, usually the most doped sport in that part of the world. Ditto France & Sth Africa. I suppose RL will grow the same way these sports grow with their miscreants. But but it's a societal problem now lol Evidence on your women & kids stuff? Thought not. The NRLW was watched by more people on FTA than super rugby lol. Oh wait, you probably need help with that term lol
Danny
Guest
No wonder women and kids don't want anything to do with Rugby League. When's Rugby League going to grow Cathar?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
LOL yeah your version of society is perfect.
Danny
Guest
The Rugby League communities favourite word "Troll hahaha Do you blokes think Sailor and DeBelin will be cell mates? Maybe Craig Field can join them to.. But But But it's a society problem. Why does Rugby League have a women in League round?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
He's a troll not here to make sense but spit out his hatred of RL trying to justify it by being a liar.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Haha you got nothing. Yeah the only crimes in the world are committed by RL players. Nah I must have read the wrong thing about a cop found guilty of over 100 sexual assaults or the doctor who thought using his little johnny as a therapeutic tool with several patients, for recent example couldn't possibly be a societal thing. That number would easily eclipse the NRL & AFL community combined. But but it's a RL phenomenon. You really are a piece. But its sport lol
Danny
Guest
And you hate the fact they mention those other sports Cathar. You HATE any football code that isn't Rugby League. It's a common trait in the Rugby League community. Tristan Sailor hey!! But But But it's a society problem