Hopes are high that the Black Ferns can share their Rugby World Cup triumph with all New Zealanders. Photo / Dean Purcell
Hopes are high that the Black Ferns can share their Rugby World Cup triumph with all New Zealanders. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Black Ferns have answered the one question that had hung over them.
Winning Rugby World Cups was never the issue. The team had done that five times already before Saturday's 34-31 triumph over England at Eden Park.
No, as the previous generation of champion Black Ferns teams well know,the complaint from New Zealand Rugby was that there was no money to be made from the female game.
Well, we now know that to be untrue, so the only question that remains is: how much are NZR prepared to invest to capitalise on the country's new love affair with the Black Ferns?
"I think New Zealand and New Zealand Rugby have realised the potential of this team and I think you'll see a bit of change, and deservedly so,'' said three-time World Cup winner Emma Jensen.
"That's the big change that New Zealand Rugby are going to have to make, because it's an investment that they're going to get something back from. Their argument for a long time was, we couldn't get bums on seats to watch the games, and therefore they weren't going to make an investment into it.
"And I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous about crowd participation and New Zealand getting behind the Black Ferns, but I'm so happy this has finally happened, because all we ever wanted was the chance to play rugby.''
Former Black Ferns halfback Emma Jensen was in tears after Saturday's Rugby World Cup final. Photo / File
An estimated 1.3 million New Zealanders watched the World Cup final on television, on top of the 42,579 that packed into Eden Park.
It's not just that they tuned in, though. It's that they took this team to their hearts - particularly, the irrepressible Ruby Tui.
"That goes back to the girls, and that's what people have been saying [during the tournament]. With the All Blacks, it's just about the rugby. With these girls, it's about culture and what they leave as a legacy, and I think they pretty much nailed that,'' said Jensen.
Simply put, the Black Ferns weren't on their own journey. This was one they wanted us on as well.
That's why Jensen would like to see real effort put into touring the World Cup trophy around New Zealand, and for a test programme to be put together that enables the team to play in places such as Hawke's Bay.
"That would be awesome, because it's about the people. They play for the people, so let's celebrate with them.''
Jensen attended the final with a group of other former Black Ferns, performing the haka in the stands, singing lustily to the anthem and then shedding a tear or two when it was all done.
She's hopeful the team's success will boost player numbers at places such as Hastings Girls' High School - where she coaches the 1st XV - but mostly, she's just glad to see how far women's rugby has come.
Professional players are still only on retainers of between $35,000 and $130,000, compared to the $1 million senior All Blacks are believed to be paid.
"We need to make it a career path for them, so the only thing they have to do is concentrate on playing rugby. After previous world cups, we would've had to go back to work today - that was just our reality,'' Jensen said.
"The gap [between what male and female players earn] has been huge, but it's obviously getting better because we have contracted players now, and that's something we only dreamed about.''
