Rugby Australia has admitted it has a ‘way to go’ to improve conditions for the Wallaroos after they were called out by players over investment inequality between the women’s and men’s national programs amid claims they had been lied to.
Current national players took the unprecedented step of breaking their contracts, posting the statement on several social media channels calling for appropriate investment in the women’s game and pointing out the staggering disparities in treatment.
The move came after it was revealed that the wives and partners of World Cup-going Wallabies had flown to Sydney to say goodbye after multiple training camps and a trip to Arnhem Land before departing for Paris in business class.
Female players launched their unprecedented protest after it was revealed that male stars’ WAGs had been flown business class to Paris for the Rugby World Cup
The gaping gulf in the treatment of the men’s and women’s national teams so angered the Wallaroos stars that they broke the contract to vent their anger
The Wallaroos, on the other hand, flew economy for recent games in Canada with their coach, teacher Jay Tregonning, who is not yet full-time.
“You told us that flying outside economy was too expensive, and then you flew the Wallabies business class on a trip shorter than ours,” the Wallaroos said in the statement on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“You told us full-time contracts are in the pipeline, that there wasn’t enough money to keep the men in the game let alone us, and then you paid $5 million for an NRL player.
“You said our program will be professional and our coach will be full-time. How many coaches has Eddie brought to the World Cup?
“You keep saying we don’t have enough resources, but we’ve all seen the World Cup broadcast for the Wallabies.
Wallaroos stars have had enough of being treated as second-class citizens by the governing body (pictured Ashley Marsters playing for Australia against Canada in July)
“The future of our game is at stake. It’s your turn Rugby Australia.’
The players all breached their contracts by making the public statements, but did so with the knowledge of RA.
In response, RA admitted via a statement that it was working towards a ‘fully professional future’ for the Wallaroos and that players would be involved in ‘all planning and development’ going forward.
“Rugby Australia will continue to involve the Wallaroos playing group through RUPA (Rugby Union Players Association) in all planning and development related to investment in Women’s Rugby,” the RA statement said on Monday.
“We are taking steps towards a fully professional future for the Wallaroos and investing more broadly in women’s rugby in national and community competitions – and we know we still have a way to go.
In line with RA’s commitment to engage players on this journey, RA will continue to meet with each Super W team’s elected Super W representatives, the RUPA women’s player director and the Wallaroos leadership group to listen and collaborate work, to support our female players. athletes and their coaching and support teams.”
The Wallaroos made it to the quarter-finals of New Zealand’s Women’s Rugby World Cup last year and have qualified as one of the top six teams in the world for a new competition in October.
RA’s backdown comes as former Wallaroos star Grace Kemp revealed the women’s team’s shabby treatment left her disillusioned.
Grace Kemp (pictured playing for Canberra in the NRLW this month) was disillusioned during her time with the Wallaroos
Kemp said the way the women’s national team was treated at last year’s World Cup made her feel like she was playing club rugby rather than taking part in the sport’s biggest event.
The 22-year-old – who now plays for Canberra in the NRLW – said she and her teammates were denied the most basic of opportunities compared to male stars at last year’s Women’s World Cup.
“It really felt like club rugby. It felt like we weren’t there to represent this country,” she said News Corp.
“We traveled with no media, we had no social media posts about our game, hardly anyone knew we were playing.
“Even our training kit was in men’s sizes. It’s so dated.’
Kemp added that her switch to rugby league opened her eyes to how professional sportswomen should be treated.
“I’m at such a great club who have absolutely supported me on and off the pitch and I think that’s really important,” she said.
“If you don’t feel that support from your club, you won’t feel good about playing the sport you love.”