Rugby: South African coach lashes out over underinvestment in women's code

South Africa's women's rugby teams have struggled to make a mark on the world stage. Photo / Getty

The coach of South Africa's women's rugby sevens team has resigned in explosive fashion, accusing South Africa Rugby of not caring for the sport whatsoever.

Paul Delport, who has coached the side since 2017, went to the media after his departure was announced and painted a sorry picture when it came to South Africa's Women's Sevens programme.

"It was pretty simple for me. There were 16 teams at the Women's Sevens Rugby World Cup. There are 13 teams that are full-time professional. There are three of us who aren't. That's us (South Africa), Madagascar and Colombia and we finished 14th, 15th and 16th," Delport told South Africa's Daily Maverick newspaper.

Delport said he had been fighting for investment in the sport throughout his tenure, but claimed SA Rugby did not think women's rugby was a priority - an opinion Delport believes is foolish.

"They're just unwilling to invest. I don't understand. Women's rugby is where it is at the moment, where all the growth can happen. And we don't want to invest, which doesn't make any sense."

The facts seem to back up Delport's claims, with the South African women's rugby teams both ranked outside the world's top 10 - in stark contrast to the country's men's teams. Delport says investment is urgently needed to both develop and retain top players.

"[SA Rugby] don't give a s**t. I'm just resigning because I can no longer peddle a lie to talented young women.

"I've got these women asking me, 'Paulie, what should I do? Should I sign here or should I go overseas?'

"I don't think it's fair for a national coach to be telling players they shouldn't sign here because there's nothing going on. Unfortunately, that's the truth."

In response, SA Rugby said the women's teams are a work in progress, but right behind the men's top side as far as priorities are concerned.

"Women's rugby is the second-highest priority for SA Rugby after the Springboks," a spokesperson told the Daily Maverick.

"In the past two years, we have added five personnel to the women's rugby department – including the appointment of our first high-performance manager for women's rugby – and now contract more women's players than we ever have before (19).

"Only in the past few months – thanks to FNB – have we secured our first corporate partner of women's rugby.

"For some years, the fifteen-a-side women's team was mothballed in favour of the Women's Sevens team – who received the entire focus. We have subsequently restarted the XV-a-side women's team, which has become the focus once again and we are seeing the benefits of that approach, while the women's Sevens programme continues."

However, Delport expects the programme described by SA Rugby to be one that expects players contracted to the 15-a-side team, also turn out for the sevens team - an arrangement he says is untenable.

"There's no commitment to a full-time Sevens programme. They're going to contract women's players again but for both [codes]. The ladies will be expected to do both [Sevens and 15s]. And that's just unsustainable.

"The best men's players in the world can't do it. How can we expect these talented young women to do it?

"I said if they want to do it properly, you need to have a full-time programme. They're obviously not willing to commit to that," he said.

Meanwhile, South Africa's opening match at the women's Rugby World Cup in Auckland was a forgettable one, the side going down 40-5 to France.