History will be made next month 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.
"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."
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."
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."
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