Whine and dine by rugby women annoys NTRU boss

PLAYERS of the winning NT Rugby Union women’s team failed to get an invite to an apres-tournament dinner, and were then twice asked to leave when they sat at an empty table.

PLAYERS of the winning NT Rugby Union women’s team failed to get an invite to an apres-tournament dinner, and were then twice asked to leave when they sat at an empty table.

But the NTRU boss has said the women should have asked for an invitation rather than “make a scene” at the presentation dinner.

The women had earlier that day won their game 24-15 against 1st Battalion in the Defence Services Gala Day on Saturday.

Player Frances Jennings said about five women, plus their coach and some children, sat at one of four vacant tables set up for a catered presentation on field 2 at Marrara rugby grounds.

“There was about 80 people, mostly players and corporate sponsors, administrative staff, strappers, and the NTRU executive,” the 34-year-old said.

“No-one was sitting at these tables, so we said: ‘Why don’t we join them?’.

“There was tables there, and we’d played.

“Then (NTRU chief executive) Mark Heath asked us to leave. He walked over and came to our coach and said it was a private function and we weren’t invited.”

The Defence women’s team were also missing from the dinner.

Ms Jennings said the women, and her children, had been seated for about 20 minutes, and were wearing players’ passes. She said they had changed out of their kit and it was an informal meal.

“We didn’t move,” the mother-of-two from Millner said. “I said: ‘my husband’s over there and we’re hungry’.

“(Mr Heath) came up to us again and said we weren’t invited.”

Ms Jennings’s husband Frank had played, and won, with the Mozzies, who were all seated nearby.

“We all came in one car together and we weren’t going home without him,” she said

Mr Heath said the dinner was held for the men because they had played a late game and some of the Defence players were due to fly hours later.

“They were asked to leave because it was a private function,” he said. “(The men) weren’t getting fed until 10pm.

“(The women) had the chance to eat earlier from food vans.

“There was plenty of opportunity to eat.

“I had no problem with women being there.

“They couldn’t just crash and make a scene.

“If they asked, it wouldn’t have been an issue.”

He said the final two teams were at the dinner.

“Because it was a late game they wouldn’t get a chance to have a meal.

“There was a meal for 80 officers, brigadiers, wing commanders.”

“There was no indication there’d be a dinner for the women. Some people couldn’t have eaten a dinner for various reasons.”

He said a manual had been issued to all team managers about the dinner, saying who was and was not invited.

Ms Jennings said a good opportunity for the men’s and women’s teams to eat together had been missed.

“It was a bit of a boys’ club,” she said. “We’re always the curtain-raiser.

“We want to change that culture.”

“We did play, and we deserve to be here too.”