The Springbok Women Have done South Africa proud this past weekend, reaching the Quarter Finals of the Rugby World Cup for the 1st time. This result didn’t come easily.
Since 2019 SA Rugby has been working on building a comprehensive development plan for the girls and women’s game. Creating opportunity and positive conditions for the current team to train and play together regularly has been a massive task, but with the trajectory behind women’s sports gaining huge momentum, it’s very definitely time we all jumped on the women’s rugby bus!
In 2019, our team had the privilege to work on the Rugby World Cup for one of our clients, and part of the programme was looking at how we could include women in our campaign. We learnt so much about the state of the women’s game at the time, and met the most extraordinary people totally committed to growing the local game. But they faced – and still do – huge roadblocks and challenges.
The future is now and it’s exciting
School and club development programmes are increasingly being implemented across the country by the rugby unions, and they are excited at the incredible skills and talent they are seeing at the U16 and U18 national tournaments. 6 years on, much has changed, but we’re just getting started.
Perceptions are changing slowly
Much of the lag is due to perceptions of the women’s game – it’s not as exciting to watch; there aren’t really great players; technically the women are way behind the men; where would someone find a club to play; there is limited rugby in schools; what kind of girls and women play rugby; won’t my daughter face a huge risk of injury?
The reality is so different. Talk to anyone that’s taken the time to get involved – whether the men from traditional rugby clubs that now field women’s teams like Pirates in Johannesburg, the Universities, the coaches that have shifted from coaching men to women, and all avid rugby fans. They’ll tell you a different story.
Just like the men’s game, there is place for every body type, and all kinds of talent.
Women’s rugby matters – to women and their communities.
For the or young women playing the game, it is life-changing. Here’s what they say…
Because of Rugby:
→ I am fearless and resilient
→ I am mentally and physically strong
→ I know perfect is impossible and quirks are beautiful
→ I am not embarrassed to do the things I love
→ I gain confidence everyday
→ I finally believe in my own strength
→ I have gotten better at catching the unexpected throws in life
→ I have learnt to tackle my fears
→ I can lift my friends up
→ I have learned to thrive outside of my comfort zone
→ I am part of something bigger than myself
→ I have learnt that success takes hard work, dedication and commitment
Here’s to many more tries and wins!