Why women’s rugby is thriving in Australia in light of Sydney 7s victory
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 28: Australia celebrate victory with coach Tim Walsh after defeating New Zealand in the Women's Final match during day three of the 2018 Sydney Sevens at Allianz Stadium on January 28, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Equal pay with their male counterparts, led by a female CEO, with a soaring popularity and domination on the pitch – women’s rugby in Australia has never been stronger.
In the latest episode of CNN World Rugby, the show reports from Sydney to learn about this turn in fortunes, with host Alex Thomas speaking to some of the figures responsible for this rise as well as the next generation of Sevens players.
After beating arch-rivals New Zealand to claim a gold medal at Rio 2016, the popularity of Sevens soared, with 50,000 young women taking up the sport in Australia – more than 100% increase from 2015.
This growth is expected to continue as the sport continues to break ground – Raelene Castle was recently made the first female chief executive of a rugby organisation in the world, whilst also announcing an equal starting salary for both men and women.
All of this is happening whilst the team continues to succeed, and CNN World Rugby speaks to the team’s coach on Australia’s current form.
