A controversial opinion piece in Rugby News has sparked backlash from sports fans.
Columnist Sam Casey wrote that New Zealand Rugby is investing too much money in women's rugby for too little return.
He also took aim at Farah Palmer Cup player Alice Soper for putting pressure on New Zealand Rugby to get more game time for the Black Ferns.
Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan that New Zealand Rugby had already struggled to make money before Covid-19, and women's rugby hasn't made anything worse.Â
She says Farah Palmer is the stepping stone between club rugby and international rugby
"The only opportunity for the Black Ferns was to play in the FPC.
"If you want to be defending a World Cup on home soil, the FPC was their only option."
Soper says that other competitions for men - such as Heartland - do not provide a training ground for international competitors.Â
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