Girls with Mud on Their Boots
Somewhere in Taranaki -where the wind has opinions and the paddocks rarely stay dry -a group of women lace up their rugby boots.
No ceremony. No speeches. Just the clatter of studs on concrete, someone hunting for a missing mouthguard, and laughter that begins long before the whistle blows.
“Women can do anything and everything.” -Kate Thomson
But not in the solemn way outsiders imagine. This devotion shows up muddy, loud, and already halfway through a joke.
The documentary No Tears on the Field, arriving in Aotearoa cinemas March 19, follows two Taranaki women’s rugby teams as they juggle the realities of rural life -work, whānau, early mornings -with eighty minutes of full-contact joy each weekend.
At its heart are players like Mereana Anderson, Kate Thomson, and Maddison Davison, women who prove toughness and humour are not opposites, but teammates.
Rugby, But Make It Fun
For Mereana Anderson, rugby isn’t obsession -it’s appreciation.
The game has given her friendships, discipline and perspective, but these days she plays for a far simpler reason: she enjoys it.
Which is fortunate, because rugby can be unexpectedly funny.
Take the scrum -that supposed theatre of intensity.
“Move your bloody arse and get in the ruck.”
Eight bodies packed together, everyone pretending to look serious while someone inevitably mutters something cheeky and the entire front row tries not to laugh before the ball even goes in.
“Rugby doesn’t have to be about pressure or proving anything. It’s about showing up, having a crack, and loving the game.”
-Mereana Anderson
Whānau in Boots
For Kate Thomson, rugby is where friendships quietly become whānau.
It’s the team that pushes you through training, backs you on the field, and stands beside you long after the final whistle.
Life in rural communities, she says, can throw curveballs tougher than any tackle.
That’s why rugby matters -it clears the head.
And occasionally delivers unforgettable moments.
Like the day a referee wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time and was promptly flattened in the chaos of play -a moment that now lives on in team folklore.
“Women can do anything and everything. Rugby gives you confidence, happiness, and a real sense of belonging.”
-Kate Thomson
Dairy Farming Meets the Front Row
Then there is Maddison Davison, who spends her weekdays dairy farming -a job that begins before sunrise and rarely ends when you’d like it to.
So when asked what’s tougher -rural life or a full-contact tackle -she doesn’t hesitate.
Rural life wins.
Still, rugby remains the highlight of the week: turning up, grinning, and running onto the field with her mates.
Her favourite memory? An older teammate yelling at her to “move your bloody arse and get in the ruck” seconds after she’d just carried the ball.
She laughed.
Because that’s women’s rugby -grit, adrenaline, and someone shouting instructions while you’re still catching your breath.
“My weekend thing is turning up to rugby, playing with my mates, and having some fun.”
-Maddison Davison
Bigger Than the Game
What No Tears on the Field captures so beautifully is not just the rugby.
It’s the life around it.
The long days. The muddy boots. The laughter in the changing rooms.
And somewhere on the sideline, there is always a young girl watching.
Watching women tackle hard, laugh harder, and take up space on the field without apology.
“Show up, have a crack, and love the game.”
-Mereana Anderson
Sometimes the message is simple.
Show up. Have a crack.
And love the game for what it gives you.
Roger Wyllie, View Mag
NO TEARS ON THE FIELD
In Aotearoa New Zealand cinemas March 19
Rugby isn’t always played under stadium lights.
Sometimes it’s played in Taranaki wind, on muddy grass, between early starts, long workdays, and the quiet determination of women who refuse to wait for permission to take the field.
No Tears on the Field is a heartwarming new documentary following two local Taranaki women’s rugby teams as they juggle work, whānau and rural life -and still show up every weekend ready to tackle, laugh and play the game they love.
These are players like Mereana Anderson, Kate Thomson and Maddison Davison -women whose devotion to rugby isn’t about glory. It’s about friendship, resilience, and the simple joy of turning up for your team.
There are muddy boots.
There’s plenty of banter.
And somewhere on the sideline, there’s always a young girl watching.
Because this story isn’t only about rugby.
It’s about confidence.
Community.
And the power of women claiming their place on the field.
Watch the documentary and meet the women proving rugby belongs to them too.
Roger Wyllie, View Mag