“There will be quality and the same standard in where they play, where they train, where they stay when playing away from home and how they will fly; that’s where the quality will be and they will be on a high-performance standard.
"It’s 35 players that are in a range of contracts of either two years, one year and eight months... but most of them are full-time employees of the company,” he said.
With women’s sport on the rise, Rathbone said their commercial partners reacted with keen interest when they were approached about the idea of the Daisies.
“I think women’s sport and equality in sport has become a massive focus over the last few years, not only in the sporting ground but at a national and commercial level, We’ve seen commercial partners keen to get involved because of that,” said Rathbone.
“Being pioneers and investing in this, we are putting our money where our mouth is and that’s important for commercial partners to see that it’s not just them funding this but it’s them partnering with us into building this. That’s an important principle for any commercial partner to come on board,” he said.
35 women sign deals with Bulls Daisies rugby team
Franchise the first to take a step towards professionalisation of females rugby
Image: Athenkosi Tsotsi
Blue Bulls Company CEO Edgar Rathbone says there’s plenty of interest in women’s sports by the private sector. This comes after the franchise professionalised their women’s team.
The Bulls rewarded 35 women with professional contracts, forming part of their senior women’s team – the Bulls Daisies. The franchise is the first in SA to take a step towards the professionalisation of women’s rugby at the franchise level.
The project to professionalise women’s rugby at the Pretoria-based union was led by former Springbok Thando Manana; he was at the forefront of putting together the structure, recruitment of the players and coaching staff.
Highly rated coach Hayden Groepes and former Springboks Women’s captain Mandisa Williams were confirmed as the coach and assistant coach of the side. The Daisies will take part in the Women’s Premier Division, which starts next month.
The salaries the Daisies will get will not be equal to their male counterparts because of the commercial value, but the teams will be treated the same.
“We’ve secured additional funding for this project either through shareholders or commercial partners, this will not affect what’s been spent on the men’s structure,” said Rathbone when addressing the media at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.
Bulls appoint former Boks Thando Manana in a key position
“There will be quality and the same standard in where they play, where they train, where they stay when playing away from home and how they will fly; that’s where the quality will be and they will be on a high-performance standard.
"It’s 35 players that are in a range of contracts of either two years, one year and eight months... but most of them are full-time employees of the company,” he said.
With women’s sport on the rise, Rathbone said their commercial partners reacted with keen interest when they were approached about the idea of the Daisies.
“I think women’s sport and equality in sport has become a massive focus over the last few years, not only in the sporting ground but at a national and commercial level, We’ve seen commercial partners keen to get involved because of that,” said Rathbone.
“Being pioneers and investing in this, we are putting our money where our mouth is and that’s important for commercial partners to see that it’s not just them funding this but it’s them partnering with us into building this. That’s an important principle for any commercial partner to come on board,” he said.
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