Women’s rugby battles against prejudices

IT felt so good to be Irish last Saturday.

Women’s rugby battles against prejudices

France are ranked up there with the best in the world, currently number three, but with a magnificent show of courage, wit, intelligence, organisation in defence, of tackling that was fearless bordering on reckless, Ireland frustrated them at every turn, knocked them down from first minute to 81st, denied any of their high-flying backs the satisfaction of a touchdown from open play.

Led by the ferociously competitive and talented Fiona Steed, those Irish girls in Thomond Park on Saturday evening were something else. True, the French won anyway, courtesy of three tries, but they were not the kind of tries any of us would be particularly proud of. All were the result of 12-woman mauls off five metre lineouts the mighty French reduced to that.

Remember the heroic part the women played in the Siege of Limerick, with Patrick Sarsfield? There it was, replayed in Thomond Park, and it was a pleasure to report on. Sad to report however, was the lack of real support.

Those hundreds who did turn out were brilliant, non-stop noise for the duration, even cheering the French onto the field at the start of each half. But where were the thousands who had earlier filled the Limerick city hostelries to watch on TV the men's equally heroic performance, earlier in the afternoon?

A pity for the girls because their efforts deserved a bigger audience, a pity for those who didn't bother to make the effort, they missed a fine performance.

Female team sports are growing at an enormous rate worldwide, in this country especially. Ladies football, camogie, soccer, women's rugby, all are becoming more popular. But they are facing a battle, a battle against prejudice, against ignorance.

The most disappointing thing is a lot of that prejudice comes from women themselves. Where were the tens of thousands who follow the Irish men's team on Saturday night? When Cork played Tipperary in the All-Ireland camogie final last September, where were those women who would surely fill Croke Park on their own for an All-Ireland hurling final?

Those who know me even casually would see me as a very unlikely feminist. I don't just acknowledge the difference between the genders, I exaggerate it, celebrate it. But you have to accept equality.

Why then do we still have this notion that team contact sports such as GAA, soccer, women's rugby, are somehow unladylike?

"Look at us," Steed invited at the launch of the women's rugby website last week, several of the Irish squad in spruced-up extremely-attractive attendance. "Aren't we all ladies? Can't we be rugby-players on the pitch and ladies off it?"

Women's sport is as different to men's as women are to men. But I enjoy women's tennis, for example, at least as much as men's (and no, not because of what's-her-face'n'body, whom I'd nearly beat myself), less power, but more opportunity to enjoy the skills. In women's athletics who hasn't marvelled at the courage, endurance, strength, of Sonia, Caitriona and yes Geraldine, whom I don't believe is a cheat?

Their times aren't as fast as the men's, but the competition is every bit as fierce, as gripping, as entertaining.

"I feel so fortunate to be playing rugby," says Steed. "If I hadn't gone to England I'd still be playing camogie for Tipperary whether with the seniors or not, I don't know.

"But from day one, I've loved rugby. It had something other sports didn't have. There's immediate reward for everything you do, whether it's attacking with the ball in hand, gaining the yards, giving the pass, or making the tackle in defence.

Tipperary have won three All-Ireland senior titles, but I wouldn't swap what I have now, 50 caps for Ireland, for any of that I wouldn't swap one cap."

Amanda Greensmith is one of the new brigade, in her first season. "I would love to see it go professional, and if someone told me they thought I had the talent for it, I'd have a go at it, certainly be willing to put in the work.

"I was talking to a northern girl on the squad, her brother is involved with Ulster. She said he doesn't understand how we do it. He goes to the gym in the morning, comes home, rests, trains again in the afternoon, more rest, when she's going straight back out to train after coming home from a day's work. And we do that five, six days a week."

Surely such passion, such love for a sport, deserves support?

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