What’s next for women’s rugby?

Introduction

2025 was a landmark year for women’s[1] sport. The Women’s Rugby World Cup in England broke records: Scotland reached their first quarter-final in 20 years, Ireland narrowly lost to France in their own quarter-final, and England claimed their third World Cup in front of a historic Twickenham crowd. Recent figures reported this as the second-biggest Rugby World Cup, men’s or women’s, in terms of digital reach.

Purpose

In light of these successes and achievements, there is a need to also understand how these triumphs on the World stage and this record-breaking engagement can translate into changes within the game which ultimately create environments players want to be in.

Therefore, this article outlines what female rugby players want from their rugby experience based on current research and insights, how to build on World Cup momentum, and what unions can do to support growth. If short on time, see the call-to-action section.

Current landscape of female sport and rugby participation

Girls face significantly more barriers to sport than boys. The Youth Sport Trust found girls are twice as likely not to complete 60 minutes of daily exercise. It has been reported that, although adolescents generally drop out of sport at higher rates than any other age group, girls disengage far more often than boys. Women in Sport found that 43% of girls who once saw themselves as sporty stop participating after primary school. The reason I am portraying this information is that it is important to note that girls don’t just simply ‘stop wanting to play’; most girls (62%) reported that they want to be more active but are held back by barriers such as confidence, periods, and being watched. Despite these challenges, women’s rugby remains one of the fastest-growing team sports globally. Recent figures show a 53% rise in female players, with pre-teen girls making up 24% of this growth. In the next sections, we will discuss what underpins this.

Facilitators of rugby involvement

Importance of female role models – on their TV and in their homes

In a 2025 study involving over 1,300 female rugby players, 63% of players said visible female role models made rugby participation easier, helping them feel inspired and able to see themselves in the sport. Another recent poll of 500 girls aged 10–17 found similar themes: 83% viewed female sports stars as inspirational and 43% would choose to watch rugby live. Over half said seeing successful women in sport makes them feel capable of “doing anything.” An important finding was that 38% said they were inspired by active female family members such as mums, sisters, or aunties, as well as other women in their immediate environment. This shows that young people can be inspired by those directly around them, not just elite athletes or those on TV.

Supportive environments and people

Following on from the above, the support received from parents, siblings, and friends is crucial to one’s participation in sport, with women’s rugby players being no different. Parent support is one of the biggest facilitators to sport participation, with a recent study finding that 90% of female rugby players cited the importance of the financial, emotional, and logistical help received from their parents. One participant explained, “my entire rugby career… I would not be playing rugby without [my mum].” In the same study, it was found that siblings also facilitated participation, with 42% of female rugby players reporting that having a sibling made playing easier, often citing regularly practising rugby in the garden or local pitches. Friends were important too; the inclusive, welcoming social environment of rugby has been well established, with the game often turning friends into family and being a key reason for participation.

The quality and availability of support staff is consistently identified as influential to rugby participation. It has been found that coaches, medics, and strength and conditioning staff are particularly important because of the range of support they provide and their personal skills in coaching aspects specific to rugby, such as the tackle. Players valued coaches who combine strong rugby-specific knowledge with the ability to understand them as individuals and provide emotional support when needed.

Barriers to rugby involvement

The menstrual cycle and what players want

As you will see from above, the menstrual cycle has been referenced in many other studies looking at barriers and reasons for drop out. However, there is an interesting difference in what we think female rugby players want and what they say they report. In a recent study, 59% of rugby players said their menstrual cycle made participation harder, mainly due to physical symptoms. As one participant shared, “I had really really bad periods, so I’d be sick… I’d faint…that made it difficult for me to play”. Many also felt unable to discuss their experiences with coaches because of societal stigma. Despite this, this same study found that 51% of female rugby players said that menstrual cycle education didn’t make their participation easier or harder. This was because they reported that current educational offers were one offs or weren’t consistent; players wanted meaningful cultural change.

Some of my reflections have been based around the real ‘basic’ aspects of the menstrual cycle and getting these right – i.e.:

• How close is the pitch to the toilets?

• Are clubhouses even open when girls are training/playing?

• Are we providing accessible products and bins, or are girls having to ask to get these?

• Have we told them that they can go to the toilet whenever, or that they can keep products on the coach/a specific medical bag?

  
  

Body image concerns and the interesting impact this has on sport / rugby participation

Body image is a major reason girls leave sport. In 2024, Howard found 70% of females cite body image as their key reason for dropping out, and it has also been reported that many females feel they ‘should be thin and are too big’ after exercising in public spaces.

In a 2025 study, 38.9% of women’s rugby players said body image made participation harder. One participant described the contrast between societal pressures and rugby’s inclusiveness: “I do not look like any of my friends…I’m 10–20 kilos heavier… then coming into rugby environments… everyone was so different and everyone is so useful.” An interesting nuance in this study was the comparison with the actual attributes of one’s body (i.e., strength) compared to their body image. So, instead of how they appeared, the idea of feeling and being strong was seen as very beneficial; 61% of female rugby players said that their physical strength made participation easier, with one player noting, “it makes me more confident…I’ve got leg drive… I can do amazing things on leg press.” Thus, it appeared that strength and the subsequent confidence that could be gained from feeling strong was particularly beneficial to participation.

Stereotypes of playing women’s rugby

Research has identified that females participating in traditionally masculine sports often encounter stereotypes regarding body image, sexuality, and sexist views towards the sport. In women’s rugby, 58% of players reported stereotypes as making their participation harder. Players discussed common stereotypes associated with women’s rugby (i.e., a perception that ‘oh they’re all lesbians’) and explained the negative impact of this on players. Beyond sexuality, the consistent comparison to the men’s game and peers perceiving the women’s game to be inferior was challenging at all ages and stages.

Simply having access (?!)

Access, both in simply being able to play rugby and the quality of this offer, played a major role in whether girls and women could participate in rugby. Many players do not encounter the sport until university or adulthood because girls’ teams were scarce. But it isn’t just about access itself, it is also about how easy, safe, and feasible access to sport is. Two factors are crucial in women’s rugby: school provision and geography in relation to opportunities.

In a 2025 study, over half of the women’s rugby players said their school environment influenced participation: 54% said whether rugby was offered at school shaped their involvement. Rugby was more available in certain regions or rugby-focused schools, meaning many girls never got the chance to try it early on. As one player shared, “you didn’t play rugby at school, as much as I wanted to try it.” Without school access, players felt that girls missed the opportunity to learn in a familiar environment alongside friends.

One’s location in relation to opportunities was also important: 45.4% said location made participation easier, while 34.2% said it made it harder. This was because opportunities varied significantly between regions, with fewer pathways in some areas, such as the North of England, which lacks options to play a higher level after age grade rugby. This forced players to travel longer distances for better coaching and games. This additional travel also increased the burden on families and support networks to make participation possible.

Dream versus reality

While the research provides a clear picture of what an ideal women’s rugby environment could look like, the reality is that resources and funding are limited. Thus, it would be remiss of me to talk about changes within women’s rugby without acknowledging the significant investment required to address these challenges. The sport-wide disparities in access and provision between males and females are well documented and are being addressed by many governing bodies. However, a growing issue within women’s sport is the gap between community and performance levels. As organisations work to close the gap with the male game, there is a risk that investment becomes concentrated in professional teams, widening the divide between elite rugby and grassroots participation. We need to be cognisant that this tiered system impacts what is available to players at different levels and the pathway underneath.

Call to action

Below are some simple factors you should hopefully take away from this article in regard to what women and girls fundamentally need in their rugby playing journey:

Barriers – how can be minimise these?

• Menstrual cycle: 59% of players reported their period makes participation harder, especially those with severe symptoms. Many feel uncomfortable discussing it with coaches. Players want practical, meaningful support: open clubhouses, products, and a culture where periods can be talked about.

• Body image: Negative body image perceptions drive many girls away from sport. In my research, a third said it made rugby participation harder. Many struggle with societal beauty standards but find empowerment in rugby’s inclusivity and in valuing strength. How can we leverage body-positive, strength-focused messaging?

• Stereotypes: 58% of players said stereotypes, such as assumptions about sexuality or comparisons to men’s rugby, negatively impact their experience and confidence.

• Access: Being able to play rugby, and the quality of this offer, strongly affects female rugby participation. Over half of women’s rugby players said not playing at school negatively influenced participation resulting in many not playing until university or adulthood due to limited girls’ teams. As well as school, one’s geography was important, with limited local opportunities often requiring long travel for fixtures.

  
  

Facilitators – how can we maximise these?

• Support staff: The quality of support staff strongly influences participation. Coaches, medics, and strength and conditioning staff are seen as important facilitators. Conversely, access to nutritionists and psychologists was often limited, with players viewing this as a barrier as they felt these services would be beneficial.

• Family and support staff: Support from parents was the strongest facilitator of participation in women’s rugby players. Siblings also supported participation, with 42% of players saying that having a sibling made playing easier as they often practised together. Friends were important too, with participants emphasising that rugby’s inclusive, welcoming community further encouraged continued involvement and allowed them to navigate the negative stereotypes.

What’s next?

As we reflect on how much has been achieved in women’s sport in recent years, it is important to note that there is still more to look forward to and more records to be broken. Scotland will play their first ever fixture at Murrayfield in the 151-year history of Scottish rugby as they host the Red Roses in the 2026 Six Nations. Similarly, Ireland, in their 146-year history, will play their first ever standalone fixture at the Aviva against Scotland in the same tournament.

At club level, England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league remains the strongest league in the world, featuring top internationals from across the home nations and beyond. If you’ve heard names like Sophie De Goede, Meg Jones, and Ruahei Demant, you can now watch them at your local club or on TV.

About the author

Kirsten Flower is currently undertaking her PhD at Swansea University focused upon the elite women's rugby pathway in England. Her research centres on understanding the facilitators and barriers to women and girls playing rugby, as well as identifying what factors underpin and influence a player progressing to elite levels. Kirsten has an extensive background in rugby union, previously representing Loughborough University and being an active referee, with her current roles involving sitting on several RFU committees alongside her PhD. If any of the information featured in this blog has sparked a few questions, or whether you are simply interested in this work and want to learn more, Kirsten can be found on LinkedIn or emailed at 2252911@swansea.ac.uk

[1] In academic and public discussions, it is important to differentiate between sex and gender, as well as between ‘female’ and ‘woman’. Sex refers to the biological attributes that classify individuals as male or female (World Health Organization, 2021), while ‘gender’ encompasses the socially constructed roles, behaviours, and norms associated with being male or female (American Psychological Association, 2015). The term ‘female’ is used as an adjective to describe sex-based characteristics (e.g., female athletes), whereas ‘women’ is a noun referring to individuals who identify as women. This blog draws on these definitions to describe the experiences of female athletes participating in women’s and girl’s rugby.

Blog editor: Dr Tess Flood

Blog administrator: Dr Jacky Forsyth