The Star: December 21, 2017

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday December 21 2017 3
News
Naia’s rugby goals crushed
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3 MARCH 2018
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Ruling ends
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• By Bridget Rutherford
NAIA Toaolamai-Holden has
played Canterbury representative
rugby, tackled Black Ferns and
was her club’s top try-scorer last
season.
But the 15-year-old wing has
been told she can no longer play
in the Christchurch premier
women’s competition because
she is too young.
“All she wants to do is play
and learn,” her mother Tamara
Toaolamai told The Star.
“If any of my kids said ‘we’re
not playing rugby’
then that’s
fine because it’s
their choice. But
they’ve taken
away that choice
for Naia.”
New Zealand
Nathan
Godfrey
Rugby Union
rules state girls
under-16 cannot
play in women’s
grades. They also cannot play
against boys who are over 13.
The women’s rule had not been
properly enforced by the Canterbury
Rugby Football Union until
now.
Naia started playing rugby
as an eight-year-old. She has
been in the same High School
Old Boys’ women’s team as
her mother for three seasons,
and was unaware she had been
breaking the rules.
“She’s competing with people
who are Black Ferns, like Kendra
Cocksedge. She’s not getting
served up and defeated, she’s
seeing what’s possible,” said Ms
Toaolamai, who is vice-captain
of the team.
But CRFU chief executive
Nathan Godfrey said the new
Health and Safety Act meant
TALENTED: Naia Toaolamai-Holden (right) has played on the wing for the High School Old Boys’ women’s team for three seasons
alongside her mother Tamara (left), but now she is not allowed because she is too young.
the union had a duty of care for
players.
“We feel it would be negligent
for any individual or group,
including a parent, registered
coach, or affiliated club or
school, to ignore the associated
risks around player welfare.”
If teams fielded under-age
players, they would face a points
deduction and fine or, in serious
cases, a coach could be suspended,
he said.
Mr Godfrey said the CRFU
started the Let Her Play programme
this year to support
players aged 13-16. It will also
start a new under-16 girls grade
next season.
But Naia wants to play alongside
her mother in the women’s
grade, because the standard was
higher. “You drop your intensity
because it’s not as good and challenging,”
she said.
“I’m pretty annoyed because
I’ve been in the [women’s] team
for a long time. I learned how to
play with these people and I’ve
grown a good bond with them.”
Naia and her
parents want the
CRFU to give
under-age players
dispensation on
a case-by-case
basis if they have
proven they
are capable of
competing in the
women’s grade.
They say Naia had suffered
more injuries in school girl
rugby than women’s.
Naia said there were “tonnes of
girls” her age who wanted to play
PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
‘Just let us play
and do what we
do best to grow
the game’
– Naia Toaolamai-Holden
in the women’s grade.
“Just let us play and do what
we do best to grow the game.”
But Mr Godfrey said the rules
were in place to protect players
against injury and concussion
and establish some consistency.
“For example,
we wouldn’t accept
a 15-year-old boy
playing senior club
rugby.”
Naia wants to become
a Black Fern.
Last season she
scored 14 tries.
Her mother is the
team’s open-side
flanker, dad Vern Holden coaches
their team, and her aunt Sharleen
Nathan was a Black Fern.
Naia will turn 16 in November.
The Canterbury Women’s Rugby
Committee and Black Fern Ruby
Tui had asked the CRFU if a
dispensation could be granted
on a case-by-case basis. However,
the union said no.
Committee member Jodi
Archbold said there were a
number of under-age players like
Naia who were capable, but the
rules were clear.
“It will not happen, as much as
we would love it to.”
She said the under-16 grade
was a great move, and as long as
it was resourced appropriately, it
would be challenging for players.
•HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you
think players like Naia
should be able to compete
in the women’s grade?
Email your views to bridget.
rutherford@starmedia.kiwi
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