ONE of the greatest names in rugby 7s, Karl Te Nana believes the key to the growth of women’s rugby is a mind-set change.
“There needs to be a mind-set change in terms of women’s rugby,” he said.
“The numbers have grown in terms of the women’s game whether it is participation or viewership, and they bring a total different vibe to the game of rugby.”
Te Nana says the sport has come a long way and on travelling the world following the sport, he said women had helped improved rugby, especially in the abbreviated code.
“Ever since it has been in the Olympics, young girls want to play the game of rugby, some of them have left their traditional sports like netball and transferred over to rugby to try and be professional players and be part of the movement.
“The mind-set has to change in the Pacific Islands because rugby suits our makeup and chances of obtaining a medal in the Olympics through the sport are very realistic.
“When we see the talent that women players have who are now running around on the sports field, some women tackle just as hard as their male counterparts.
“It naturally fits our build-up and women in the Pacific. The more oppurtunity given, the more we put it out. The more we normalise it, the reality will be women players will be able to travel the world playing rugby and even to do it as a job.”
