Former Wallaroos skipper Grace Hamilton has joined a chorus of critics slamming the giant disparity in Rugby Australia's (RA) treatment between its male and female players.
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The Panuara product has hit out after an "out of touch" video landed on RA social media, showing Wallabies' girlfriends sipping wine between bouts of shopping and lounging with a robe in a hotel room.
"It was a punch in the guts," Hamilton told the Central Western Daily.
"It feels like we're treated as a resource, rather than human beings or professional female athletes, and it's concerning.
It was a punch in the guts.
- Wallaroos player, Grace Hamilton speaks out on gender inequity compared to the men's Wallabies squad.
"I've been with the Wallaroos since 2016 and [gender inequity] has just been ongoing, it's not good. It's rubbing salt in the wounds now."
Amid the frustration boiling over for Hamilton and much of the squad, a unified statement was posted to their social media accounts individually - calling out the national sports body for not investing more in women's rugby.
It led to a second player hitting out against RA, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardising her contract.
"What does this say to every other woman and girl playing rugby? That we are merely an afterthought, even when you are at the top? It's so frustrating," she told the Central Western Daily.
"People always want to talk about the revenue and the outcomes, but we work just as hard [as the men] and still have to come back to work.
"The [gender] disparity is ridiculous, and we are given the minimum while the WAGs are given more? It's ludicrous."
RA later released a statement on Monday, August 21, in response to the women rallying for better outcomes.
The [gender] disparity is ridiculous, and we are given the minimum while the WAGs are given more? It's ludicrous.
- Another Wallaroos player openly made comments on Sunday, before requesting anonymity on Monday.
The sporting body admitted it had a lot more work to do in the women's rugby department.
"Rugby Australia will continue to involve the Wallaroos playing group, through RUPA [Rugby Union Players Association], in all planning and developments regarding investment in women's rugby," the statement read.
"We are taking steps towards a fully professional future for the Wallaroos and investing more broadly in women's rugby across national and community competitions - and we know we have a way to go.
We know we have a way to go.
- Rugby AU drops statement on August 21 following Wallaroos' lashing out amid gender disparity concerns.
"In line with RAs commitment to incorporate players on this journey, RA will continue to meet with the elected Super W representatives from each Super W team, the RUPA Women's Player Director, and the Wallaroos leadership group to listen and work together, to support our female athletes and their coaching and support teams."
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