ACT Brumbies praise Rugby Australia's Super W, Wallaroos funding announcement

A renewed commitment to women's XVs rugby was unveiled on Saturday. More than $2 million in additional funds will be injected into female rugby throughout 2023, an increase of 60 per cent on last year.

Wallaroos players will be contracted to Rugby Australia for the first time. A squad of up to 35 contracted players will be broken into three groups and receive between $30,000 and $52,000 for playing in the Super W and Test matches for Australia.

The benefits extended beyond the top stars, with all Super W players to be paid $4000 by the national governing body for their involvement in the competition.

Pregnancy and maternity leave provisions have also been agreed to in principal, with contracted players to still receive payments while away from the game.

MORE SPORT:

The five franchises are permitted to establish contracting models on top of the Rugby Australia funds. It's understood the Brumbies are currently working through the details, with players likely to receive a small payment throughout the season.

ACT chief executive Phil Thomson said female players will reap the benefits of the increased funds.

"It's a welcome announcement with the investment in the Wallaroos and Super W programs," Thomson said. "It's a step in the right direction and a great starting point."

Rugby Australia has spent the past decade building their women's sevens program into a world-class operation, however the XVs game has not been considered a priority.

Australia will host the 2029 World Cup and the governing body is determined to ensure the Wallaroos are in the mix for the title on home soil.

Payment of players emerged as a crucial identifier of results at last year's World Cup, with the well-funded New Zealand and England teams playing in the final.

The majority of the Wallaroos players are forced to juggle work, training and matches and Brumbies and Australian representative Grace Kemp said the increased payments will allow them to focus on rugby.

"We have girls that are mums, girls that have full-time jobs or are studying," Kemp said. "The payments are super important and allow us to focus a bit more on footy and to be able to train and feel like an athlete.

"A lot of girls are taking time off work and away from families, the Brumbies travelled to Wagga on Friday, we had to take a day off work or uni. The extra funding will give the girls that peace of mind that they are supported and they're not worrying about how to support their family."

The changing landscape of women's sport both in Australia and overseas has triggered fears the Wallaroos will be left behind in the years to come.

The NRL and AFL have pumped millions into their women's competitions and pathways and female players now have numerous options when choosing to pursue a sporting career.

Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said this investment is just the beginning.

"Australia hosting the women's Rugby World Cup in 2029 presents us with a great target for women's rugby - we want the Wallaroos to win our home World Cup, with a fully professional squad of heroes inspiring the next generation," McLennan said.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.