Rugby-Australian women emerge from amateur era in sixth season of Super W

FILE PHOTO: 2016 Rio Olympics - Rugby - Preliminary - Women's Pool A Australia v Colombia - Deodoro Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 06/08/2016. Shannon Parry (AUS) of Australia fights for the ball against Sharon Acevedo Tangarife (COL) of Colombia. REUTERS/Phil Noble

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Women's rugby in Australia will emerge fully from the amateur era on Friday night when the sixth season of the six-team Super W gets underway with New South Wales Waratahs taking on Western Force at Sydney Football Stadium.

Crucially this season, every player in the competition will receive A$4,000 ($2,692.80) per match on top of any club payments as part of Rugby Australia's initial $2 million investment in the women's game under a five-year plan.