Our female rugby players need to be treated with the respect that they deserve - Former Fijiana skipper Lailanie Burnes

Former Fijiana 15s skipper Lailanie Burnes has made a stern statement that our female rugby players need to be treated with the respect that they deserve.

Burnes stated this during a panel discussion at the Pacific Human Rights Film Festival 2023 after the screening of "Oceans Apart: Greed and Betrayal in Pacific Rugby", when she was asked on what more would she like to see and what more can be done to drive more participation in the women’s game, not just from players and administrators but from the general public as well.

She says when we are looking at the members of the public, we need to change their mindset to drop the stigma associated with women rugby players.

The former skipper says the women’s game is the fastest growing sport in the area with 37 percent participation compared to 26 percent in the men’s game.

She says when it comes to participation on the field it is already quite popular but she feels what needs to be improved is what is done off the field.

Burnes says we all play a part in this, from existing administrators and board members as we need to provide an environment and a culture that attracts women to be able to step up into these positions to succeed.