National Rugby League side Cronulla Sharks "rewrote history" last week when it became the "first club to sign a woman to an NRL playing contract," according to James Phelps of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH.
In the "ultimate glass ceiling-smashing rugby league move, the fairytale NRL premiership winners handed female footy star Ruan Sims, 34, an official Sharks playing contract" -- officially making her part of the game’s best team.
Sharks Group GM Tim Thorne: "It is the same contract the male players have. It is part of our commitment to show we are serious about developing women rugby league players." Sims "will play for the Women’s Sharks 9s team, which debuted this year in a clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons."
The Australian and New South Wales women’s captain "will train alongside NRL stars." Sims: "It is very exciting and unprecedented work that the Sharks are doing. Being the first woman to sign a contract is an incredible achievement and I didn’t think it would happen in my lifetime. It is actually a player contract, not an ambassador contract. That is really exciting. I won’t be playing against the men but I will get access to the same facilities and medical programs as them" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/7).
