Wellington Pride rugby player Alice Soper has condemned NZ Rugby (and media) for the lack of clarity over plans for the resumption of the women's domestic season.
On Monday, NZR announced details of next month's Super Rugby resumption and plans for Mitre 10 Cup in September, but offered no timeframe for the Farah Palmer Cup, except that there were "ongoing discussions" taking place.
In a heated monologue on her Twitter page, Soper takes aim at the governing body's (and media's) perceived oversight, which has left her and her colleagues in a state of limbo.
"NZ Rugby, what is going on?" Soper demands. "Because right now, the silence is deafening.
"What is your plan? What are we supposed to be doing right now?
"Am I supposed to wait? Am I supposed to sit on my hands and be quiet?
"You guys will hype our shit and clip our ticket when we succeed, but right now, we're in the middle of another challenge and we're invisible, as per usual.
"Answer the question @NZRugby and NZ sports media, try asking the question for once!"
Speaking to Newshub, Soper has elaborated on those frustrations.
"It's the lack of transparency of communications around what's going on right now," she says.
"We're super aware that there are a whole heap of different pressures, and sports is a commercial enterprise and that where the money is will be prioritised first, but it's knowing that [Farah Palmer Cup] is still something that's going to happen this year."
The women's season would typically begin with provincial trials in July, followed by the Farah Palmer Cup in August.
Soper fears NZR isn't capitalising on the recent momentum built by the women's game towards next year's World Cup in New Zealand.
"If the World Cup is happening in New Zealand, there has to be some semblance of women's rugby," she insists.
"But the fact that we don't know what it is, that there doesn't seem to be a plan and within that, let's look at the World Cup as a rallying point for the growth of our game.
"Pre-COVID, I was already concerned about what the strategy was in terms of building an audience and we're giving ourselves little to no lead time on that.
"Then, in the meantime, there's a bunch of athletes just sitting at home, wondering what they're supposed to be up to."
Soper also claims this ongoing lack of trust between players and NZ Rugby makes the indecision even more worrying.
"We need to know that this is meaningful change, that they are valuing the women's contribution and they are prioritising our contribution to the sport and our place within the sport, as well as the growth potential.
"We are the only part of the game that is growing. If it wasn't for women, rugby would be on a massive decline, so it's about time that we start to recognise the value of that."
In response, NZ Rugby Players Association chief executive Rob Nichol has told Newshub that it had reached out to Soper directly to assure her the women's game was at the top of their list of priorities, but that it's simply too early to announce any details.
"Even with Mitre 10 Cup, the only thing we announced yesterday was an intention to try and play on September 11," says Nichol. "We didn't go any further than that, because it's actually a little bit premature.
"It's just about one step at a time, getting some money going, and that way we can help fund the Mitre 10 cup and Farah Palmer Cup.
"At the end of the day, she's raised a good question and hopefully we've given her a bit of an answer."
