A Third Independent Panel to be set up
Mark Robinson, New Zealand Rugby’s CEO, has announced that an independent panel is being set up to look into comments posted on social media by Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, the experienced Black Fern. The panel would consist of representatives from both inside and outside the rugby community.
After returning from the tour of Europe she complained of the treatment she had received at the hands of the management both there and earlier in her international career which dates back seven years. ‘You’re only here to play the guitar’ is the gist of one alleged comment. She claimed she had suffered a mental breakdown on tour.
Robinson said that he was distressed to read her comments and the NZR would be taking them them very seriously. She was receiving ‘all the support possible’.
Chris Lendrum, the NZ Rugby professional rugby and performance manager, addressed a media session in similar terms.
Kiwi commentators have long complained about the lack of support for the Black Ferns. The recent tour has underlined how far they have fallen behind the leading teams from Europe. Never before had they lost four games in succession. The Red Roses twice recorded the highest margin of victory against them.
In the view of critics New Zealand risks having the biggest event in women’s rugby on home soil, a first World Cup, turning into an unwelcome disaster.
But far more important than those on-field issues was the question of players’ mental wellbeing. One member of staff accompanying the tour was responsible for that area, but Ngata-Aerengamate only opened up about her worries once she returned home.
Spotlight turns on Glenn Moore
Nor did she mention the head coach, Glenn Moore, by name, but attention has inevitably turned towards him. He was unwilling to comment in detail until the review was published, but he was upset by the news.
He has been in charge of the Black Ferns since 2015 and led them to yet another World Cup victory in 2017. His contract runs up to the RWC next year. Robinson said no action was being contemplated against him at present.
Moore will have to answer questions in the end-of-season review too. The repeated excuse for the winless tour of Europe was the lack of rugby the Black Ferns had suffered: no test match for 27 months. Will that be found sufficient to explain the shortcomings that were plain to see?
A Third Independent Inquiry
This New Zealand announcement marks the third panel to be set up by a national union in the last year. A committee of three people has reviewed concerns within both the Irish and Welsh unions. The IRFU announced last week that the findings of its review would be published in full. Current and past international players had written a letter to the Irish government asking it to intervene. It did.
All these worries help to explain the importance of the Women’s Rugby Association just set up in England to support all the players in the ten clubs of the Allianz Premier 15s league.
