Is women's sport finally being taken seriously?

[grimbletart]

The Daily Telegraph devoted a whole centre spread in it sports section today to the England women's world cup rugby win (and the comments underneath were all positive). The team's pictures were also all over the media yesterday and all the matches were covered by Sky.

A couple of examples from the centre spread below. At last the media coverage of women's sport is growing and the bums on seats are growing too as a result.

The women's cricket team are now fully paid professionals although the rugby players all still hold down other jobs.

Will this, plus the profile given to women's athletics now finally get female sports taken seriously.

(Loved it that the rugby women received a congratulatory text from none other than that rugby God Jonny Wilkinson)! If he can be a fan you would think it would shut up the derisory stuff that some men spout about women in sport.

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11042240/Womens-Rugby-World-Cup-The-morning-after-and-Englands-triumph-feels-as-if-it-is-a-seminal-moment.html

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11042222/We-must-capitalise-on-this-magnificent-triumph-to-develop-the-womens-game.html

Match last night had skill above the level of lower division mens football and England will be at the world cup next year. Downside the attendance was only 3,581 in a very empty stadium except the seats in front of the camera. On the plus side it was a record attendance for a wales ladies match. This is the growing pains we are going to have to go through, at least to the casual observer the stadium looked busy and the fans were loud. No clever or stupid chants based on the tribalism of the men's game.

One point really hit home about the difference in standards between the teams and that is the funding/training for the England ladies who are moving into the realms of semi professional. I would guess 20 years or so before we see any big break through in coverage unless we win the world cup next year. Achievements of the home nations are key to growth IMVHO

Agree, sausage. There seemed to be far fewer fouls, stoppage time and general histrionics vs the men's games I have recently seen.

I would have thought the key to a good football match is that both sides are reasonably good AND that the mismatch of skill is not too great - ?

And there in lies the problem. England in the first half looked like scoring every attack and the they were so laid back in the second half. England get professional support from the FA far above the other home nations so it should be no surprise that England outskilled Wales. But then there is a gulf between England and Wales in the Men's. I know nothing of Montenegro which is the next match on the 17th Sept but with as it is away no idea if we will see coverage. I hope so and will keep my eyes on it (DS1 will watch it unless Man Utd are on).

Yy but I don't think that's a "women's game" thing, look at Germany/Brazil. Given the play in the second half, Wales may have had a bad start; I don't think they were comprehensively out skilled.