The 2021 women’s Six Nations begins

This weekend the new slimmed-down version of the Women’s Six Nations rugby union tournament began –  the nations split into two groups of three and then the winners of each group to contest the final – with as much of a publicity splash as it could muster, featuring the theory that breaking away from its previous tie-in with the men’s equivalent tournament fixtures not only skewered the impression that it was just  a second-rate imitation of the real thing but afforded it the opportunity for a higher profile.

Yesterday’s England v Scotland clash at Rotherham, for example, was available to view “live” via the BBC’s iPlayer website.

In many respects some of the issues facing women’s rugby union epitomise those facing all female elite team sports.

According to World Rugby over 500,000 women take up the game every year, a figure than matches or exceeds that in the men’s game.

I’ve been watching women’s rugby on and off since the early 2000s – I attended the women’s Rugby World Cup Final at the Stoop in September 2010 (England v. New Zealand, won 13-10 by the latter) – and am unashamedly impressed by the Seven League Boot strides it has made since then.

‘Back in the early days’ fitness and basic skills in women’s rugby were comparatively poor – an average schoolboy Under 16 team could have beaten most women’s elite club sides – and frankly some of the passing by the outsides (essentially little more than looping the ball underarm) and tackling techniques generally were feeble.

Yes, it was rugby played by women but – in terms of the game as a spectacle that description was about the beginning and end of it.

Not any more.

There’s no doubt that women’s rugby is well-established and growing as a global force. As with soccer, rugby union has a major place in North American female sport in a fashion that it may never gain in its male counterpart simply because games like baseball, basketball, ice hockey and American Football have such a hold upon North American history, culture and commercial interests.

In the 21st Century World Rugby and the Tier One rugby nations in both hemispheres have since made massive investments in terms of funding, organisation and structure.

Women’s rugby now has a thriving set-up in both the 15 and 7 a-side versions of the game, including World Cup tournaments and (in 7s) not only a world circuit but Olympic recognition.

It has a lot going for it and yet, intriguingly, also some idiosyncrasies.

Watching the England v Scotland game yesterday, the female commentators were coolly efficient in identifying players and describing the action but it was also noticeable upon occasions that they switched back and forth between the genders.

When someone got injured, or yellow-carded, or even departed permanently for a high tackle (as in one case), sometimes we were told a team had gone “a woman down” and sometimes “a man down”.

Old habits die hard.

Finally, to finish, some comments based upon my experience yesterday.

Firstly, as with any game in which stereotypical male “virtues” – e.g. power, strength, aggression, speed and vigour – are at a premium, in rugby those female who are more like men will come to the fore.

This is why the issue of transgender women playing women’s rugby is a problem.

It’s also why female players who represent modern elite club and international teams – i.e. those fortunate enough to be able to train full-time or close to it – are becoming more and more like male players in their skills and tactics.

Although many journalists and players claim that women’s rugby is “different” to the men’s game, I don’t agree. As its standards improve, the more like men’s rugby it becomes.

As I see it, the biggest problem facing women’s rugby is the diversity in standards between those nations with power and money and those without.

In the build-up to yesterday the previews and player interviews all referenced “the traditions and rivalry of the Six Nations” but in saying it they were inevitably tapping into the those of the men’s game.

The men’s Six Nations is currently wrestling with its “Italy problem” – the newest addition to the roster is currently on a “25 and counting” consecutive run of losses which necessarily detracts from the aura and specialness of the tournament.

The women’s version of the Six Nations has a similar issue.

The results of yesterday’s games – England 52 Scotland 10 and France 53 Wales 0 – says it all.