3 days ago
A pair of rugby boots can change a female player's life
They say diamonds are a girl's best friend — closely followed by shoes.
So why has it taken rugby boot manufacturers so long to clock that women's feet might have different requirements to men?
Adidas recently released the RS15 Avaglide, a shoe described as the first rugby boot specifically for women built from feedback, foot-sizing data from professional and amateur players, and research into anatomical differences between men and women.
The German company's foot study included data from players from the New Zealand and French men's and women's teams and identified differences between the sexes.
It showed female heels were narrower, requiring a new "waterfall heel" system to provide a more adaptive fit, and additional support and cushioning were added.
The study also revealed women typically had a broader forefoot and were more likely to over-pronate — when the foot rolls inward — due to broader hips resulting in a wider gait than men.
United States rugby star Ilona Maher said the boots would have a big impact for women and girls across the world.
"It's a big moment for women's rugby players at all levels, one that will make a huge difference to our comfort and experience while playing the sport.
"One of the key factors in my decision to partner with Adidas was their commitment to continued growth and development of women's rugby.
"When I saw the plans for the RS15 Avaglide, I couldn't wait to try them out. The game has needed this."
It is a fantastic initiative, certainly, but why has it taken this long?
Women have been playing rugby for a long time — the first recorded game was in 1962 at Edinburgh University — yet they have not had access to a fundamental piece of equipment to help propel them forward.
Most rugby boots across various websites have been labelled as unisex, or they have been put under the generic "rugby boots" heading, so there is no way to differentiate.
Women are always up for the fight when it comes to their uniforms.
Many organisations in recent years have reverted to wearing dark-coloured shorts to aid players' concerns when on the field.
Irish women have fought for their rights — and won — in their sport known as camogie.
Players have been forced to play in skorts — divided skirts — for years, and Cork and Waterford players caused an uproar when they made it clear they wanted to play in shorts for the Munster final. It led to the game being postponed.
Dublin and Kilkenny players walked on to the pitch wearing shorts, but they quickly changed to skorts to avoid the Leinster semifinal being abandoned.
But the message was clear: women are sick of being told to play in skorts.
It led to the Camogie Association, which had doubled down on the skorts rule two years ago, to put it to a vote and overturn the motion, allowing women to finally be able to play in their preferred uniforms.
Players now have the option to play in their preferred skorts, or shorts, in a landmark victory for women across the board.
