Catherine Spencer says the women’s game still operates ‘in shadows of the men’ and a radical makeover is needed
Even now there are days when Catherine Spencer looks back with a mixture of incredulity and anger. “I felt like a second-class citizen for most of my rugby life,” she says flatly, recalling her time as one of England’s most prominent women’s rugby players. “Even when I did interviews as England captain I felt I was having to say thank you for the smallest things and be overly grateful. I want people now to understand their value.”
Spencer, now 40, is no longer playing for her country but, from where she sits, looking after her nine-month-old daughter, Mae, not a great deal has changed. Everyone is aware England’s men are due to be playing Ireland at Twickenham this Sunday. Rather less of the marketing budget has been spent on promoting the women’s Six Nations fixture between the same countries in Doncaster on the same day. The latter fixture is due to kick off at 12.45pm, just when most TV viewers are either en route to the men’s game or thinking about their lunch.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/18/former-england-rugby-captain-i-feel-we-are-in-the-shadows-of-the-men under the title “
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
