Lessons learned from the professionalisation of the men’s game seemingly do not apply to women – it’s still not for us
Sometimes the worst thing you can do is win. Success, in a nominal sense, can hide a multitude of sins. While the wins kept coming for New Zealand’s Black Ferns, it was easy to believe that the system was working. Those hasty domestic seasons, shoulder-tapped coaching teams and part-time wages were the winning recipe.
But a 34-page review into the team’s culture and environment has laid bare the true cost of this success.
Alice Soper found rugby at the age of 13 and has since played at both Eden Park and Twickenham. She is a member of the Strategic Advisory Group for Women in Rugby Aotearoa, a local high school coach and is a regular commentator on issues facing women in sport.
