Some readers may not be aware of the popularity of women’s rugby in the Province. According to the IRFU annual report there are 1,354 registered senior women players. This figure needed to be taken with a pinch of salt however as if it were accurate, it would mean that every team across the AIL and Leinster league had roughly 50 registered players. It is likely that tag rugby players are included in this number.
Speaking of tag rugby, when I tell people for the first time that I play rugby, they invariably reply “tag rugby, yeah?” I am often met with incredulity when I inform them that it is rugby union, full contact and yes, there is tackling.
It’s not a surprise that people can be unaware of the women’s game when visibility is as low as it is. A cursory glance at the Leinster Rugby website won’t highlight that there is a Leinster women’s team. With a bit of further digging you’ll find information, along with pen pics.... from 2010. No sign of last season’s squad, who by the way won the Interpro title for the first time in 6 seasons. Click on “women’s rugby” on the IRFU site and it brings you to the club and community section, where news on this national team is on the menu below items on AIL league & Cup, Schools and Junior Rugby.
There is some evidence that things are changing slightly and that the women’s game is beginning to get recognised. The by now well documented trip undertaken by the Irish women to Pau in this year’s six nations cast a perhaps unwanted light on status of women’s rugby from the point of view of the IRFU. A journey to the South of France that took longer that a trip to the Southern Hemisphere represented appalling treatment of women who were representing the country. Perhaps all the more galling was the single point defeat.
In a sense though, this was a watershed moment for Irish women’s rugby, although the treatment was poor, the publicity garnered arguably helped the women’s game. Suddenly there was massive interest, twitter was awash with news on the women and subsequently there was online coverage of the women’s last two matches versus Scotland and England. The old adage of there’s no such thing as bad publicity seemed to ring through.
Arguably the upturn in interest was fuelled by outrage felt by people already interested in the women’s game, rather than any concerted or coordinated effort to raise the profile of women’s rugby. It is not clear that women’s rugby is a high priority for the powers that be. In 2010/2011 the IRFU spent 0.5% of its income on women’s rugby. It’s worth noting that this was a World Cup year so there would have been additional costs in travelling to England for the match.
Naysayers will posit two counter arguments to further investment. Firstly, the women don’t generate revenue, the men do. Of course the expenditure on schools rugby is typically 50-100% higher and there is no immediaterevenue generation there. The argument there is that this is investment in the future. Without investment, the women’s national team will not be able to compete with our near neighbours England. As it is we are already punching above our weight.
I mentioned a second argument. I am loath to use the word “product” in relation to rugby, but when countering this argument I will. People who will argue against investment in women’s rugby will argue that there is little interest in the product. Consider then, that there were almost 10,000 people in attendance at the above mentioned match in France. Pau has a population of 85,000. Go figure. The timing and location of the Ireland women’s games deserves consideration. As it stands, Irish women’s matches are played in Ashbourne, Co. Meath on Friday evenings. The location is not the easiest to get to in Friday rush hour traffic and the kick off is usually simultaneous with the Irish Under 20s. Promotion of these games isn’t always great either. The possibility of a double header with the Under 20s on either of the weekend days that the men are not in action would seem to make more sense from a footfall point of view.
Feeding into the National teams are the Provincial teams who play each other in an annual Interpro series comprising of around 3 or 4 matches. Last season the Interpros took place in September away from its recent winter berth as cancellations had taken its toll the previous season. At Provincial level, Leinster is in rude health beating Munster in last year’s Interpro decider in Cork to release Munster’s recent stranglehold on the series. However a maximum of 4 matches is scant preparation for a 6 Nations campaign and the majority of Irish international players play weekly AIL Rugby.
There are two All Ireland leagues with 8 Leinster teams and further Leinster Leagues Division 3 & 4 and from 2012/13 there are plans for a new development Division 5. It’s not a Dublin dominated field either with teams from Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Offaly, Laois, Westmeath & Kildare all competing. Many of these teams also boast underage girls teams which all bodes well for player numbers over the coming years.
Visibility and publicity is still poor however and it remains to be seen whether the momentum garnered by women’s rugby in the face of last season’s bad publicity can be maintained. To date, the Irish women have appeared on television once, Sky Sports during the 2010 World Cup. Our National Broadcaster has, to date, neglected to broadcast or webcast the women’s 6 Nations. Perhaps there is a change ahead. It is imperative that the strides taken in webcasting women’s matches on the Irish Rugby website are maintained as a minimum.
Overall it can be argued that women’s rugby in Ireland has grown thanks to the efforts of individuals on the ground and development officers around the country. The quality and standard of performances has improved year on year. Playing numbers are up and there is a concerted effort to encourage underage girls into the sport which is crucial for the survival of teams into the future.
2012/13 promises to be an exciting one. There are a number of Leinster teams aiming to knock UL Bohemian’s off their AIL Division 1 perch, the Leinster team will look to retain their Interpro trophy against a Munster team who will be gunning for revenge and the Irish women have crucial 6 nations games that double as World Cup qualifiers and big tests at home versus England and France.
An exciting season ahead to be sure, and you’ll be able to read about it here at least.
Sarah Lennon (@sarahlennon08) is passionate about all things rugby. A Leinster Season Ticket holder since the Donnybrook days, a supporter of the Irish teams home and abroad and can regularly be seen cheering on Junior Rugby at Stillorgan RFC (a labour of love). As well as spectating, she dabbles in playing a bit and is a member of Old Belvedere RFC and fully paid up member of the front row union.
© JL Pagano 2012
