Story: Sport and society

A girl evades her male opponent in an under-11 touch rugby game between Kapanui Team Williams and Paraparaumu Beach School in 2008. In this Kāpiti junior competition, each team had to have at least two girls on the field at all times. A try by a girl was worth two points, compared with one point for a try by a boy. Touch rugby became one of the country's most popular sports in the early 21st century, exemplifying a growing interest in activities involving both genders. Even in sports in which women and men played in separate competitions, such as cricket and rugby, administrations had combined,