INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPORTSWOMEN
West Coast-born Rosie Kelly fell in love with rugby at a young age. But being from a small town, she played with the boys’ team until the age of 11. She looks back at that time of being the only girl in the team as a great learning experience. “The boys didn’t treat me any different, but I remember when we travelled for games, having separate changing rooms and starting to feel that divide,” she says. Now part of a pioneering women’s team, Kelly feels grateful to have the opportunity to represent the South Island. “I think that we get to shape the image of the team and what we stand for and we get to lead the story. We’ve done lots on knowing the story behind Matatū from the start and now we’re the ones that get to share it.”
Kelly says she’s excited to inspire the next generation to get involved with the sport. “Matatū will be a good start to get those younger girls interested in the game. Especially on the West Coast, I’m hoping to do some stuff to get more girls playing.”
She is also proud to have Bayleys as part of the Matatū journey. “Having a big brand like Bayleys backing you, it’s definitely pretty special, especially considering we’re a new team. Bayleys were at our team launch and have been right behind every event that we’ve had. It’s [great] to get a big sponsor like that and just shows how successful this team can be.”