Women had to drive to take a shower

Sep 12, 2023

Sponsored by Bunnings Rugby Assist

Vania Wolfgramm, former Black Fern. Photo / Supplied.

Sponsored by Bunnings Rugby Assist

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Bunnings help re-shape NZ rugby clubs to cater for women players.

When the Auckland Marist Rugby Club women wanted a shower after finishing their home matches, they often had to get in their cars and drive to another venue to find one.

Either that, says Marist board member and former Black Fern Vania Wolfgramm, or they had to walk across three fields to the neighbouring community hall where the women could freshen up after a game. All because, as is so common in rugby clubs up and down the land, there was little or no accommodation for women – particularly when it comes to bathroom and toilet facilities.

"And what happens after that?" says Wolfgramm of the trek to find a shower. "They then either had to trudge back over the fields or drive back to the club and park – and, of course, many of them just didn't feel like doing that after a hard match. They just wanted to go home or go somewhere else where they could be themselves and enjoy each other's company.

"So – in this day and age of the wonderful popularity of women's rugby – essentially what we were doing was isolating women rugby players. We should be unifying them with the club, not forcing them to go somewhere else for a shower."

That's all in the past now, thanks to a $30,000 upgrade of the club facilities after receiving a Bunnings Rugby Assist grant.

Amos Bailey, Bunnings Mount Wellington Complex Manager says: "In 2022, Bunnings Rugby Assist was dedicated to making clubs more inclusive for femaIe rugby players and helping clubs evolve alongside the growth of women's rugby.

"It has been an incredible experience for the team to be part of, knowing that these club upgrades will be enjoyed by future generations of female players. It's just a small way Bunnings can lend a hand to the communities in which we operate."

Bunnings Mt Wellington is helping Marist put the finishing touches to a renovation of their changing rooms, including a dedicated women's changing room and a space for female referees. There are plans for an external stairway, directly linking them to the clubrooms and allowing them to walk between the two without having to pass through the men's changing rooms.

"It's a big thing for us," says Wolfgramm, who played her last match for the Black Ferns in 2009 and who became Marist's first female board member when she "wanted to give back to our club and the game.

"The World Cup has really ignited the popularity of the women's game. We have so many junior players now, under-13s, under-15s, you name it. But young players – you know, 15- and 16-year-olds – want to come into a space that is safe, well-lit and welcoming…somewhere that greets them, not which makes them think they are secondary to the men.

"It's important for the club too – it's always better to view things through the lens of diversity. I was the first woman on the board, we now have two and we are talking to a third and there are women on our committees now. It's really important that perspective be there these days.

"The World Cup showed everyone what New Zealand female athletes can do and, at a club level, the women are just as important and really are a breath of fresh air. The guys love the women's socials – the girls are bubbly, dancing and just want to be themselves and it's brought a new dimension to things."

With the new Bunnings facilities, the women can now play at home at the same time as the men, if necessary – and the club could host the Eric Kohlhase trophy with Ponsonby (which is played between the two clubs’ premier men's and women's teams plus the under-21s each year).

Marist is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Tamaki Makaurau, founded in 1908, and has won the Coleman Shield 12 times in the competition's 24-year history. They are reigning champions, beating star-studded Ponsonby last year and are a constant source of Black Ferns and All Blacks.

Now one of the oldest clubs has brought new facilities to bear with a new outlook. Bailey says: "Bunnings is committed to helping grassroots rugby by supporting and working alongside our local rugby community with hands-on help from the team."

For more information: www.bunnings.co.nz/campaign/bunningsrugbyassist

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