The proverb “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas” is well-known to the millions of visitors to Sin City each year.
There is no such luxury for England’s female rugby league players.
In March, their Vegas experience, which was a humiliating 90-4 defeat by world champions Australia, was broadcast live to a worldwide audience.
In the wake of this, one wonders what will happen next, whether the Jillaroos’ previously planned tour will go together with the men, and how England can close the international gap.
England’s men will play Australia in an autumn home series, but nothing has been announced for the women.
England needed a yardstick, so Hardman was it.
One problem for England is the limited number of northern hemisphere opponents that they face on equal footing as they prepare for World Cups and significant tests.
It costs a lot to attract a touring country like Tonga or Papua New Guinea. The idea of going south also applies.
Wales and France have won their matches with impressive scores, which may have contributed to England’s Vegas defeat being so unexpected.
Stuart Barrow’s staff included St Helens head coach Dec Hardman, who has spent years working with England internationals like Vicky Whitfield and Jodie Cunningham at the club level.
And he thinks facing the Jillaroos was the best choice.
According to Hardman, “the only way we could ever predict where we would be is through that game.” “Was the right season to be here?” Not sure yet. What time of day is ideal?
When you play that game, you do get a reality check, but occasionally you need to go and make yourself hungry for what you’ll experience in 18 months.
“These girls could play on Sunday, a match against Australia, a match against the Kiwis on a Wednesday, and a game against Tonga, Samoa, or the Cook Islands the following week. How do we bridge that perceived conflict of competitiveness?
Hardman doesn’t claim to know the answers, but he thinks listening to the players is a part of the solution.
The players have an opinion, Hardman continued.
They must tell you how they are feeling because they are living it, according to the author.
They let you know what they think will happen next, and how. I’m not sure if the Rugby Football League [RFL] can live up to those expectations.
Disparities provide justifications for gaps.
In women’s rugby league, great things have been accomplished, including moving the game from muddy, sometimes dreaded park pitches to Super League stadiums and bringing it to Wembley in the Challenge Cup.
Talent pools are being created as a result of rugby league’s grassroots adoption, improved facilities for teams, and more professional players being cared for.
However, the game is undoubtedly not a profession because fully-paid players make their living from playing the game.
While the top clubs may make some payments to players and consider signing contracts an option, the Women’s Super League does not. Players must balance work and training.
The Australian National Rugby League women’s division, known as NRLW, is a small, yet highly competitive league where Australian players from New South Wales and Queensland, both major states, compete in fierce State of Origin contests and are compensated for it.
Hollie-Mae Dodd, Georgia Roche, and Paige Travis have all been signed by NRLW clubs, and England players have begun to move south to join their club revolution.
It’s like Saints’ men are playing Thatto Heath, they say.
St. Helens back-rower Emily Rudge, who hasn’t made the Vegas team since she was 16 years old, is acutely aware of the disparities.
She told BBC Sport, “The Women’s Super League and the NRLW are wildly different.” “On the surface, it appears very professional.” Although we are associated with Super League organizations, our main occupations are full-time employment and evening training.
In terms of setup, it’s not anywhere near Australia. In some ways, I was considering Saints men playing Thatto Heath, who are full-time employees and practice twice per week. What are your expectations?
You’ve got full-time professional athletes playing against women who, regrettably, lack the same resources as their counterparts. It immediately morphs into a mismatch.
It just appears like 90-4 is a huge scoreline without having any inside knowledge of that. We are constructing. The women’s game improves year after year, but so do they.
Learning from the lessons
There were always going to be different responses to such a defeat because the England camp had a variety of ages and personalities.
Bella Sykes, a Leeds Rhinos hooker, praised “the experience of being drawn into the drama and excitement of the event” while playing for the team in Vegas.
The actual test was difficult, but it also provided some insight.
According to Sykes, “It’s important for the staff and players to reflect on why we got that result.” However, in a more general sense, the RFL are looking at that from the players’ perspectives in terms of reviewing the league, reviewing how the international program operates, and as long as we can learn from it.
According to the group discussion we had at the previous camp, the experience had a significant impact on players, depending on their age and level of experience.
The players’ reactions to it varied. Although I’m still very optimistic about the entire experience, I don’t know why some of the girls are.
As a young player going through, “they had the courage to speak out and demand what changes they believed needed to be done,” he said. “They were inspiring.
related subjects
- Rugby League
