History will be made in 35 days time when the first Rugby World Cup Sevens to feature a women’s competition running alongside the traditional men’s event kicks off at The Sevens in Dubai and for many of those involved that day cannot come round quick enough.
For Susan Carty, the International Rugby Board’s first Women’s Development Manager, the introduction of the 16-team competition on the RWC Sevens stage is undoubtedly one of the most important steps in the history of the Women’s Game.
“It is probably one of the most significant steps for the Women’s Game for quite a long time, if not the most important ever,” Carty explained to Total Rugby Radio.
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“It is certainly a landmark first for the Women’s Game. It was a target from the Women’s Strategic Plan and it certainly demonstrates the commitment the IRB have for the Women’s Game.
“If you look at the qualification process you will see 83 nations took part and 16 have now qualified, so it is certainly going to be an exciting tournament in Dubai and it is creeping up on us quite quickly.
“You could have asked me a few years ago would we see the Women’s World Cup on the same stage as the men’s and here we are coming up to March where they are both sharing the same platform and that is fantastic for the Game.”
Wide open playing field
The qualification process also highlighted the competitiveness of Sevens with some nations creating their own piece of history and others causing shocks as one of the potential title contenders Kazakhstan failed to secure their ticket after losing to Japan and China in the Asian qualifiers in Hong Kong.
“Kazakhstan have done quite a lot for the rugby profile in their country and certainly they would have had huge expectations going into the qualification process,” continued Carty.
“I suppose what we see as the Women’s Game becomes more competitive, other countries come up and spring surprises and it shows the level of skill and competitiveness that is now out there in the Women’s Game.
“For Uganda, it is the first time they have reached a World Cup for their country, which is hugely exciting for them and I think what is really exciting about the Game at the moment is when you look at Sevens, the playing field is wide open to all nations.
“The traditional names didn’t automatically get there which really brings new and exciting avenues for the Women’s Game.
“I think Sevens is a form of the Game that is very cost effective and makes it very possible for maybe nations that wouldn’t have as much resources to compete internationally and domestically. It has certainly been a useful element of the Game for development.”
Olympics: A quantum leap
Another element which would give the Women’s Game another tremendous boost would be Rugby’s re-inclusion in the Olympic Games programme, something the IRB are currently campaigning hard to realise.
“For the Women’s Game to be on the Olympic Games programme it would be a quantum leap for the Game,” admitted Carty.
“We would see an increase in resources for the Game right across the Unions. We would see it attracting Government support for the different Unions which would allow more Unions to invest more in the Game where resources would be increased.
“In many countries we would see the Game being included in the school curriculum, which would introduce the Game to women and girls at a much younger age and would really add to the growth and development from an early stage.
“I think we can’t forget what it would do for the rugby players themselves, the athletes who train so hard, to actually be on the stage of one of the greatest sporting events. What it would mean to them, I would say they may not have words for it.”
