Players are calling for a public apology after a senior figure in New Zealand’s tag rugby competition described senior women’s grade players as “elderly ladies” during a recent broadcast of a game that featured a number of former Black Fern and Kiwi Fern players.

The players ranged in age from 31 to 48.

New Zealand Tag Football’s National Development Officer Claude Iusitini made the comments as he called the senior women’s Grand Final game during the International Tag Series event held in Auckland last weekend, which players say “degraded” them.

During the broadcast, which was carried live online, Iusitini said the Grand Final gave “the elderly ladies” the “opportunity to play on field one”, correcting himself as he spoke to say the women were at the “masters” and “senior” level, adding that tag rugby was “all about inclusivity and participation”.

 “So, you know, we thought it would be nice to have the older girls out there, having a go and competing in a Grand Final on field one.”

Former NRL referee Bill Harrigan joined Iusitini in his comments, lauding the “skill” and “speed” of younger players featured earlier in the event, before offering faint praise to the older players for “having a dig” despite “some of their skill levels nowhere near the young people”.

“They’re mothers, they’re grandmothers, and they’re still playing the game and that’s sensational,” Harrigan said.

A senior player spoken to by the Herald said that the players were disappointed by the comments, which she said had embarrassed them in front of their friends and family.

“I guess from our perspective we have played NZ Tag for years, a lot of us, we had international and national reps from various different ball sports, so to be referred to as ‘not as skilled’ or as grandmas and mums just having a go just really minimised the amount of training and time and practice we put into the tournament,” the player, speaking on behalf of both teams, told the Herald.

“It minimised the skills of some of our elite athletes that are still out there running around,” she said, adding that the players “might not be at international level on the big stage but are still very skilful players.”

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“It was really disappointing,” she told the Herald, pointing out that many of the players also contributed through coaching and managing other grades.

She also told the Herald that the only reason that they played on field one was that organisers needed the timeslot filled, adding that their finals, alongside older Men’s games, were not usually included on the live stream. She said that those decisions left some players feeling that organisers did not value them.

The timing of the comments, coming immediately after the Black Ferns World Cup win, was not lost on the players.

“To then be degraded like that when we’ve just had that big win for women’s sport was pretty disappointing”

In a formal apology sent to some NZTFI members, but not all players, Iusitini said he regretted making the comments, which he described as “insensitive and harmful”.

“There is no excuse for this,” he wrote, adding that he took full responsibility for what he said and admitting he “should have understood better the situation and not been so irresponsible and reckless.”

“My comments have caused hurt amongst our Senior Women’s grade and all the tag community to which I am truly sorry.”

Claude Iusitini released a formal apology via email. Photo / NZTFI

He announced he was removing himself from any future broadcasting role and vowed to “better understand and respect the senior women space and its amazing athletes”.

But players say that he has not gone far enough and are calling on him to make a public apology.

The player spoken to by the Herald said that she and other players believed that a public apology was warranted because the comments were made on livestream.

”We want it acknowledged, more for future generations. If that’s how younger women see us being treated when we’re in our 30s, that’s not going to make them feel valued and want to continue.

“We don’t want it swept under the rug. A lot of the outrage comes from our families and friends, it wasn’t just us that was affected by that. It was the embarrassment that I felt when I was so proud to share that link with my friends and then they had to listen to the way we were spoken about.”

The Herald has approached Iusitini for comment.