It was great to be part of the 16,500-strong crowd watching the Black Ferns play some incredible rugby last weekend Photo / Michael Cunningham
It was great to be part of the 16,500-strong crowd watching the Black Ferns play some incredible rugby last weekend Photo / Michael Cunningham
OPINION:
Wow, how good was it to be at Semenoff Stadium last Saturday with 16,500 others watching the Black Ferns play some incredible rugby?
It seems inconceivable that 11 years ago (when we filled the same stadium at the last Rugby World Cup to be held in Northland) we would even consider the same happening for women's rugby in 2022.
Yet here we are and it's about to happen again on this very day. The Black Ferns are now into the quarter-finals against Wales and the stadium is set to sell out for the second week in a row. An incredible feat from the organisers and from the local community to support our Black Ferns.
For me this World Cup is so beneficial to Northland on lots of levels. Obviously the economic boon for the city and wider region from having multiple teams and supporters based here for at least three weeks has been huge, particularly on the back of hospitality businesses having had such a tough time over the last few years.
But the level that often goes unnoticed is the impact these games can have on our young women and girls, particularly their own participation in active recreation and sport. For young Northlanders to see and hear such incredible role models close up must be hugely inspiring.
To top it off, two of the most high-profile Black Ferns hail from Northland, in fact both from up in the Far North. Arihiana Marino-Tauhino hails from Okaihau and played for Ohaewai, while Krystal Murray is from Kaitaia.
The benefit that often goes unnoticed is the impact these games can have on our young women and girls, particularly their own participation in active recreation and sport. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Both got brought up playing rugby when there was no real clear pathway for women's rugby players in Northland, yet both have succeeded at the highest level, with Arihiana even captaining the Black Ferns last Saturday.
Northland Rugby has recently appointed former Black Ferns Northlander Cheryl Smith (new Waaka) into the position of Women's Rugby Lead, a move that is a real pointer to their intentions to define better pathways for women and girl players and coaches across the region.
Cheryl herself broke through as a player into the highest levels years ago when it was even harder to do it (and recently coached the Northland Women's team), so she has first-hand experience of what needs to be put in place to attract and motivate young girls into the game.
All of this demonstrates to young women and girls that achieving in rugby, in fact in any sport, from up here in Northland is possible.
The other interesting point about the hosting of Women's World Cup games up here is that it would never have occurred if Okara Park had not been redeveloped back in 2008 off the back of a region-wide rate put in place by the Northland Regional Council to fund the redevelopment.
Of course the nay-sayers all said it would be a white elephant, but in fact look what it has done to the city and the wider region – World Cups in 2011, 2015 and 2022 and a British Lions game in 2017 have been huge for the region, not to mention the host of community events, including concerts and festivals, that continue to be held because the city has a major stadium.
Roll on tonight when we could possibly have an even bigger crowd than last week to watch our women role models in action ….. well done Northland!
