24 Sep 2021

Manawatu rugby championing equality for mens, women teams

From First Up, 5:17 am on 24 September 2021

The Manawatu men's and women's rugby teams return to the field in their respective provincial competitions this weekend with a unified approach to the game. For the last couple of years Manawatu Rugby has worked to combine many of their men's and women's programmes, not just to streamline processes but to provide equality. What they've managed is seen by some as the blueprint for the way forward. Manawatu Cyclones coach Fusi Feaunati has been coaching the women's team for five years and says when he and men's coach Peter Russell got together a few years ago they realised things needed to change.