Rugby: New Zealand's top female rugby players prove you can have a baby and do what you love

North Harbour's Becky Woods and Waikato's Sosoli Talawadua with their newborns at the combined Mitre 10 Cup and Farah Palmer Cup season launch in Auckland. Photo / William Booth / www.photosport.nz

If the Prime Minister can do it, so can some of the country's top women rugby players – have a baby and keep on doing what you really like doing.

There were two special guests at the combined launch of the Mitre 10 Cup and Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) in Auckland yesterday – the baby daughters of North Harbour's Becky Woods and Waikato's Sosoli Talawadua.

Woods, a World Cup winning Black Fern, had 11-week-old Chloe with her while Talawadua brought along nine-week-old Mari Sela-Grace.

Both behaved impeccably as their mums were up front, part of the panel being interviewed by MC Nigel Yalden.

A function like this leaves no doubt that New Zealand Rugby is serious about including women as a major part of its future.

The two national provincial competitions were launched together for the first time with players from all 14 Mitre 10 Cup teams and the 12 FPC sides present.

Bay of Plenty's representatives were veteran Steamers loose forward Tanerau Latimer and Volvanix captain Christie Yule.

Both players anticipate September 1 will be a big day at Tauranga Domain with a double header against double champions Canterbury.

For the Steamers it'll be their third consecutive match against a Premiership side, while for the Volcanix, last season's Championship winners, it'll be a way to judge their progress against the 2017 Premiership winning Canterbury team.