Whanganui women’s rugby needs future facility investment as club competition attracts crowds of hundreds

Former Black Ferns Ruth McKay and Sosoli Talawadua after a clash between Taihape and Marist in the Whanganui women's club rugby competition. Photo / Supplied

Hundreds of supporters have flocked to games in the first Whanganui women’s club rugby competition but Whanganui coaches say there’s work to be done in achieving equal recognition for female players at club level.

Coaches and players in the Whanganui women’s club rugby competition said the “massive turnout” for games was unexpected.

Former Black Fern Sosoli Talawadua said the first match of the season in Taihape drew a crowd of 300-400 supporters which was the largest number of people Talawadua had played in front of aside from international matches.

“As a player having played at the Super Rugby level we don’t even get that many people to our games.”

Kaierau Rugby Club women’s coach Sereima Vakuruivalu said their home games had been packed every week.

“Then when we’ve had away games lots of people have travelled just to support our girls.”

Marist Rugby Club women’s coach Junior Nepia said families brought their Friday night fish and chips with blankets to watch a game at Cooks Gardens.

“For years our girls have stood on the sidelines and watched us play and now it’s the guys turn to get out and support the girls and there’s been a massive turnout.”

Nepia said he hoped the success of the club rugby competition would translate into schoolgirls’ rugby.

“We’ve got some absolute superstars in this city at schoolgirl level.

“I’ve got a couple of young guns in my squad now who’ll be the next big thing to come out of Whanganui.”

But Vakuruivalu said the talent and skill set of the younger and older female players in the competition was not being recognised as much as the male teams.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement of how women’s rugby is run by the union.”

Vakuruivalu said there should be more planning and advertisement around the women’s game.

“Rugby is huge here in Whanganui but the women’s side isn’t advertised as much as I’d like it to be.”

She said the Whanganui competition was rushed through as a “last-minute decision” and could have been made earlier with options for female players to play in both the Whanganui and Manawatū divisions.

“Even though there are only four female teams in our club competition it’d be good if everyone was recognised equally.”

Talawadua said in future seasons of the women’s rugby competition there would need to be conversations with clubs around making sure facilities were up to scratch for female players.

This season’s games were played on a Friday night to allow male teams to have full use of club changing rooms for their Saturday games.

“Obviously asking clubs that only have two changing rooms if in the future they’ve got plans down the track to increase those to four, or otherwise making them gender neutral so women can use them as well.”

Talawadua said money and funding was often a barrier for investment in facilities that catered for women’s teams.

The top-of-the-table teams Kaierau and Marist will face off on Friday at the Country Club with Taihape taking on Marton at Memorial Park on the same night.