No funds, no transport, no support: Why women’s rugby is struggling in SA
Women’s rugby is rapidly growing around the world, but South African players are still struggling.
Picture: laurabodenschatz from Pixabay
Clarence Ford speaks with Keisha Stuurman and Buhle Somanzi from Walkers Bay Women's rugby team in the Boland.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
South Africa will kick off it’s first Women’s Professional Rugby League next year.
Despite the growth in the sport, female rugby players in our country still struggle.
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Players from underprivileged communities do not have access to training facilities or basic resources.
This means female players do not have the same opportunities to showcase their talent as their male counterparts.
Stuurman says they often do not have funds or transport to get to practice which makes it difficult for the club to grow.
“It is very slow growing, but we are going to get there.”
- Keisha Stuurman, Rugby Player
“Women’s rugby does not have money. I think that is where we start getting frustrated.”
- Buhle Somanzi, Rugby Player
She adds that many women she knows are put off from playing rugby because they see it as a men’s sport.
Stuurman is one of only three women in her town that play club rugby.
Somanzi says she would like to see more girls starting to play rugby from a young age and develop these skills.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.