Despite the groundbreaking success of the World Cup, the excitement surrounding women’s rugby in New Zealand hasn’t seamlessly translated to sustained local interest.
The extension of Super Rugby Aupiki into the 2024 campaign elicited mixed reactions, underscoring the lingering issues that impede the growth of women’s rugby in this country.
While strides have been made in Super Rugby Aupiki, the narrative reveals a stark reality – a lack of investment and a failure to capitalise on momentum.
In England, where football is the national game, top women’s club teams are consistently selling out games. Arsenal women have an average attendance of 31,000 per game this season. Here, where rugby is the national sport, Aupiki games are lucky to get a couple thousand.
Although the extension introduced improvements such as a longer pre-season training regimen and increased player payments, the competition remains semi-professional. Non-Black Ferns players under contract will now receive a minimum payment of $17,000 for the season, more than doubling their previous earnings.
Yet, this falls short, as many players still juggle their rugby careers with other employment and family responsibilities. In the men’s Super Rugby Pacific’s regular season, there are 15 rounds. The minimum retainer is $75,000.
The recent extension, though met with optimism, falls short of transforming the competition into a fully professional endeavour. This gap becomes apparent when compared to England’s professional league, running for seven months with eight teams, exposing the challenges that hamper New Zealand’s dominance on the global stage.
However, the underwhelming professionalisation efforts are not the sole reason for the tepid interest in New Zealand’s only professional women’s competition. Rugby, deeply embedded in the nation’s DNA, thrives on spectacle and engagement.
Herein lies the untapped potential of women’s rugby – a more dynamic and strategic spectacle. Physiological nuances lead female athletes to employ smarter strategies, shifting the narrative from mere physicality to intricate ball control and possession.
As the 2024 Super Rugby Aupiki season unfolds, promising heightened talent and depth, the stage is set for a more thrilling setup.
The home-and-away fixtures preceding the playoffs and final offer a tantalising prospect, with players eager to shine in a new World Cup cycle. Despite the obstacles, women’s rugby in New Zealand is poised for lift-off.
The success of women’s rugby transcends mere statistics; it’s about captivating hearts and minds.
If those 40,000 fans, who once painted Eden Park in black, tune in to or attend just one game this season, they may witness the ignition of a cultural shift.
Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a keen footballer, has worked with the Alternative Commentary Collective and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a full-time journalist.