ABSTRACT

Rugby has long been a defining feature of New Zealand’s culture and national identity. Moreover, historically, the game has represented a dominant form of both colonialism and masculinity. However, increasing attention has been paid to the place of women in sport, with a particular focus on barriers to participation, inequities in funding and resources, and inadequate and stereotypical sexist media representations. An area that has received comparatively less attention is women’s experiences with sport, particularly with respect to their relationships with the men in their lives. As a consequence, we have little understanding of the experiences of women who are located, by choice or by default, within particular sporting cultures. For example, we know little about the experiences of women as mothers, wives, partners and sisters who support the game and the men who play it. While there are no doubt some positive experiences, it is likely that these women have had some negative experiences too, including (1) lack of recognition, (2) the expectation of domestic service and (3) safety concerns related to alcohol consumption, harassment, violence and the hypermasculine context of sports (Welch, 1997). This chapter makes a fundamental connection between rugby, its subculture and the experiences of women. Drawing upon a series of interviews, we examine the experiences of women with the culture of rugby in New Zealand.