Give these women a proper, well-funded, well-resourced platform to play code on and look what happens - it's lights out for anyone in Tuka Natua's way!
If we want to truly help our Black Ferns, don't complain about them not flying business class; question why our Farah Palmer cup (Mitre 10 cup equivalent for women) teams aren't always let into their regional rugby gyms to train or given back fields to play on. Is there a woman on your local rugby board? Do you or someone you know have a problem with young wahine toa playing rugby? There is so much more to this story than pay packets.
What can we do right now? Our public needs to watch, record or get down to every game and promotion these women have on. Take note of companies like HondaNZ who, after the Black Ferns captain returned from her dream World Cup only to find her car not functioning so well, further acknowledged her successes by gifting her with a brand new shiny red truck. Memorize the names Winiata, Woodman and Fa'amausili so your daughters and sons have other characters to play in the back yard world cups.
If we show real support, real undeniable viewing, attendance and online numbers, the resources will come. Pay is the last thing in a long line of domino effects to happen. And this first step of national support is the most important.
I should know. I started women's sevens when we still had to train at 6am and 6pm with no pay and work or study in between. The big game changer with sevens: the Olympics. Straight away we found huge national backing which lead to better training facilities, better trainers and eventually better pay. Now the minimum entry-level contract figure is actually higher for our Black Ferns Sevens women than our All Black Sevens men. It doesn't happen over night but it does happen.
Do not let this Black Ferns frenzy be a short-term love affair in an airport toilet. Have an effect on our future and use the power of the masses to show support for all rugby, regardless of gender. Be bigger than the Olympics, be a New Zealand that understands true hard work, good code and what it deserves.
I don't like to isolate demo graphs, as that contradicts the equality we all want in this world, but I can't help but wonder, if you are a Kiwi woman and you know more about the All Blacks than the Black Ferns does that not pose the question; is rugby our 'National Sport' or is it the national sport for kiwi blokes?
I'm not saying we have to make our kids choose between the Black Ferns and the All Blacks; we just need to teach them that the valour of following your dreams deserves ongoing national support. The Black Ferns have done all they can and more. Now the journey to contracts in women's fifteens starts with you New Zealand!
