After a sold out 2022 Rugby World Cup Final and a strong showing from the Wallaroos in the tournament, women's rugby in Australia is going from strength to strength.
NSW Rugby will continue to be a leader in the growth of the women’s game, making the development of their women's program a major priority in 2023.
The NSW Waratahs have set the benchmark for their high-performance programs in the Buildcorp Super W competition, winning four of the five tournaments and currently still undefeated against Australian opposition.
Fresh off the back of Rugby Australia’s exciting funding announcement at Kirribilli House alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Rugby has outlined its support and focus on the push towards the professionalisation of women’s rugby based on five key principles.
- Raising standards on and off the field
- Creating effective pathways, club, and competition structures to engage and develop talented female players.
- Improving and growing the coaching, off field support and services in HP environments.
- Enabling female players to be the best they can be through professional support and development
- Embedding effective player compensation and career support models
As outlined in the Rugby Australia announcement, all Buildcorp Super W players will receive an RA-funded minimum payment of $4,000. In addition, the NSW Waratahs will also fund the Super W squad with the top tier players being paid up to $9,000 for the Super W competition.
NSW Rugby’s investment in their women's rugby program not only includes player payments but a focus on providing female players access to elite high-level coaching and training facilities (equal to the men’s program) providing the team with everything required to compete at the highest level.
Recent partnership renewals in Knight Frank and The Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation show the support and investment in the women’s program is strong.
Knight Frank’s Principal Partnership has seen its support for the Waratahs broadened to include not only the Super W team but also the Opens Women’s Sevens team, U17 Girls Seven’s team, the Women’s Senior Academy, and the Girls Gen Blue U18 Academy.
As an added layer to the partnership, Knight Frank will look to provide employment pathways for Waratahs Women's players which work around their training commitments.
High performance rugby opportunities are also a focus, with the Waratahs Women recently completing their first ever pre-season tour of New Zealand, taking on their Super Rugby Aupiki counterparts the Blues and reigning champions Chiefs Manawa.
The Waratahs Women’s team open their 2023 season against the Western Force in a huge double-header at Allianz Stadium on Friday 24 March.
