Sports

Rugby league women break through Origin glass ceiling

Related Story: Meet the 19-year-old Blues star creating history in a third sport Related Story: 'Dream come true': Jillaroos star excited for NRL women's comp

After 19 years of contests labelled as Interstate Challenges, women's rugby league has finally been granted State of Origin status.

Key points:

  • The Women's State of Origin match will be played tonight
  • The Women's NRL premiership will debut later this year
  • Players hope they will soon be make a full time career out of rugby

Teams representing Queensland and New South Wales first played each other back in 1999, but when they meet again in Sydney tonight, it will finally be under the State of Origin banner.

It is a huge boost for the women's game, and will serve as the prelude to the launch of the Women's NRL later in the year.

Long-time New South Wales captain Ruan Sims has fought long and hard for equal recognition with the men, and what she says will be a landmark for her sport.

"It's so exciting and I know all of the girls that have played in the past, and the current players, they all play the game like it's Origin and it always has been Origin for us," Sims said.

External Link: Womens Origin video Facebook

"But to have the accolade of that title being applied to the game is a massive step forward for us because it gives young girls watching the game something to aspire to."

The first woman to earn a professional contract in Australia, Sims has Fijian heritage, while in the Queensland ranks, Amelia Kuk is one of the players flying the flag for Papua New Guinea.

"It's history in the making. I think with everything happening in women's footy right now, it couldn't have come at a better time," Kuk said.

Ruan Sims is tackled

"With the NRL comp taking off at the end of the year, and with the Jillaroos winning the World Cup last year, I think it's set a really good platform, it's a big stepping stone and the future's looking really bright for the game."

External Link: Amelia Kuk on Facebook

'The language has changed'

As well as the kudos of Origin, tonight's game at North Sydney Oval will get unprecedented live television coverage.

"We are on free to air TV in a prime time slot, and that is incredible," Sims said.

"I'm just so glad that we can be a part of it, that it's happening during my playing career because I never thought I would see it."

In Origin-loving PNG Kuk expects more and more rugby league fans to jump on board with the women's game.

"After playing in the World Cup for the PNG Orchids, more of them know who I am now and they'll have more of a reason to tune in to State of Origin and have a look," she said.

"They're becoming more aware of the women's game, and women's rugby in general over there in PNG."

External Link: NRL Tweet video

And Sims who has been at the forefront of the battle for Origin recognition says the changes she is witnessing are not just cosmetic.

"The biggest thing that I love about this is that the language has changed around it, and we're actually becoming part of the rugby league landscape," she said.

"That shows that people are actually interested in our game, they're watching it, they love the way it's being played and the passion that we play with, and continued support from the NRL and the state bodies will ensure that it's a sustainable product."

Amelia Kuk runs with the ball and tries to evade a NSW player.

Rugby could become a full-time career

With the Women's NRL competition to debut later in the year, Kuk says she thinks the day when a woman can make a full-time career out of rugby league is very close.

External Link: NRL Tweet

"We're not too far off actually, girls are getting signed off with NRL teams coming in and giving out contracts," she said.

"We thought an NRL comp was a few years away but to get to the point where women are getting paid full time is just around the corner, and as early as next year I reckon."

But amid all the excitement, there's also disappointment for Sims, who after all her hard work as a campaigner for equality in women's sport, will miss out on the historic first Origin match after breaking her hand.

"It is disappointing but I'm confident the team can do the job and I'll still be there watching on from the sidelines, being part of history," she said.

"If only it was the first of a three-match Origin series, I'd definitely be right for games two and three, so maybe that will be my next pet project."

For this year at least, the Women's State of Origin will be a one-off contest, with New South Wales perhaps the marginal favourites after winning the Interstate Challenge for the last two years, but only after Queensland dominated for the first 17 years, going undefeated from 1999 to 2015.

Original Article

[contf]
[contfnew]

ABC .net

[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]

Related Posts