Although improving, neither country were considered potential winners pre-tournament, with the likes of France, Great Britain, South Africa and Australia all more fancied.
It does illustrate the increasing surge in popularity of the 7s game among women, something largely attributable to the fact it is relatively simple to access and understand – find six other players and play two halves of seven minutes each, with interchange meaning all squad members can play in every game.
It is estimated that globally there are 2.7 million women actively involved in the game of rugby. For those players looking to find a club at a higher level, even professionally, then 7s tournaments are a viable pathway to demonstrate skills, with many players who play 15s adapting to the 7s model easily.
Fans are catching on to flourishing women’s sports too. The women’s Six Nations in April saw a crowd of 58,498 watch England beat France at Twickenham. A few miles away at Highbury, Arsenal women beat Chelsea at Football in front of over 50,000 spectators.
When you have crowds of such size there is huge commercial potential, with sponsors competing for naming rights deals. Investment will accelerate growth. Already top European rugby clubs are running women’s and girls’ squads. There is the international incentive to tavel the world representing your country. For many young girls, being a 7s player can become a very lucrative career.
Here in Phuket, Pat Cotter who has run the Phuket 10s and 11’s for over 20 years, acknowledges the growth in female participation. In the last two years over 13 women’s teams have entered Phuket-based tournaments, with several sides travelling from overseas. There are already seven women’s teams registered to attend the Chiang Mai 11s later in November.
“Over the years the skill level has improved, and the women and girls bring an uncomplicated joy to their involvement,” observes Pat. “Playing numbers are increasing. One club on the Thai Malay border called Yala, who struggled for a while, have now re-booted and now have a largely Muslim team taking part in Chiang Mai, which is great.”
To win the hard-nosed male spectator over is an achievement and a reflection of the quality of the on field performance in the women’s game. This growth will continue across all levels of the game so don’t be afraid to start a girls’ team at your club. The numbers may be small to start with, but they will soon grow – after all, you only need 7 players to form a team and get started.
The Global Rugby Coach, Mike Penistone, is a globally renowned professional rugby coach based in Phuket who is also an ambassador for the Asia Center Foundation, a charity for disadvantaged children. For more information visit: www.rugbycoachingconsultancy.com.