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NEW GRADES A GAME-CHANGER
For the first time in the history introduction of U15 and U17 camp, the JETS Camp, to
of women’s rugby league in grades, while the organisation include female players. We
New Zealand, parity has been is also making moves at a want to give young women in
achieved in terms of playing development level, opening up our game the best possible
opportunities for male and the renowned JETS Camp to chance to develop their skills,
female rugby league players at female players for the first while providing them with
all ages. time, allowing them to learn grades to ensure they can play
under the tutelage of some of right through from mini/mods
New Zealand’s best coaches in to our senior women’s
In 2018 the Auckland Rugby a system with a proven track competition.
League will introduce a pilot record.
U13 grade for girls, bridging
the remaining gap which had “At last year’s Women’s Rugby
previously meant female “These grades are going to be League World Cup, 21 of the 24
players had to take a break huge for the game, and getting players selected by the Kiwi
from playing the game at club more female players involved Ferns came from the Auckland
level through the early in rugby league is a key competition, and that’s
teenage years, as they became development area for the something we want to build on
too old to play in mixed gender Auckland Rugby League,” going forward.”
teams, and were still too Whaiapu said.
young to play in the Farrelly
Photos Women’s Premiership. Had it not been for the pilot
“That’s why in addition to our U15 grade last year, Mt Albert
new U13, U15 and U17 girls’ Grammar student Sylvia Brunt
Last year the ARL solved much grades, we have also opened would have been playing
of the problem with the up our flagship development another sport. Instead she
