Charmaine McMenamin - a member of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern - is among the 28 to become the first-ever 15s players to be offered Black Ferns contracts. McMenamin is pictured at a recent coaching session in Gisborne. She is a former Gisborne Girls' High student. Picture by Paul Rickard
Charmaine McMenamin - a member of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern - is among the 28 to become the first-ever 15s players to be offered Black Ferns contracts. McMenamin is pictured at a recent coaching session in Gisborne. She is a former Gisborne Girls' High student. Picture by Paul Rickard
FORMER Gisborne Girls’ High student and 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern Charmaine McMenamin is among the 28 to become the first-ever 15s players to be offered Black Ferns contracts.
Black Ferns head coach Glenn Moore said the players weren’t guaranteed a spot in the 2018 national team andwould need to continue to work hard in their club teams and provinces to be considered for the black jersey.
“We have a Black Ferns training camp in mid-June when we’ll get a much better idea of how everyone is tracking. There’s also the possibility we’ll offer a contract to players outside of the initial contracted squad.”
The Black Ferns play two test matches against Australia in August. Both will be curtain-raisers to the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup matches.
On November 3, the Black Ferns face USA Eagles women in a tripleheader with the Maori All Blacks v USA Eagles and Ireland v Italy at Soldier Field in Chicago.
NZR Head of Women’s Rugby Cate Sexton said the signing of contracts, under the newly-introduced Black Ferns Performance Programme, marked a significant moment in rugby.
“These contracted players will receive a guaranteed retainer to train, assembly fees when they come together for Black Ferns camps and the medical and technical services they need as elite athletes.”
