World Rugby has launched its first bespoke girls’ participation programme focused on expanding the active teenage female player base globally, accelerating the rise of women’s rugby beyond Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025.
- Successful pilot rolled out across nine unions in five regions from 2023 through to 2024
- More than 40 unions to roll out the newly launched participation programme over the next 12 months in the lead up to Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025
Rugby Rising Play has been designed to support girls with no previous rugby experience, guiding them through a tailored rugby programme consisting of 10 structured sessions that also creates a holistic learning environment aligning with rugby’s values. The ultimate goal of Rugby Rising Play is to advance girls into playing T1 Rugby, and other formats of the game, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the sport, and crucially drive retention of girls in rugby, so they become affiliated with the sport for life.
Applications opened earlier this year for eligible unions which led to more than 40 being selected to take part in the programme with the overarching objective to welcome more girls than ever into rugby over the next 12 months.
Rugby Rising Play is part of World Rugby’s global impact programme, Impact Beyond 2025 which officially launched last month, aimed at harnessing the power of Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 to maximise its positive impact globally. Impact Beyond 2025 is built on three core pillars and nine strategic initiatives and through a whole-game approach, with the mission of inspiring more women and girls to get into rugby on and off the field of play.
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Rugby Rising Play is the first initiative to launch under the new ‘Rugby Rising’ visual identity developed by World Rugby to create dedicated and targeted girls’ specific initiatives and programmes. World Rugby will continue to create Rugby Rising initiatives, recognising the importance of engaging girls as a crucial demographic as it seeks to grow rugby globally.
World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “Rugby Rising Play represents a landmark moment for the women and girls’ game and a tangible step forward in our mission to broaden access and engagement for girls worldwide.
“The recent success of the pilot shows the incredible appetite for rugby among girls, and we are committed to ensuring that this programme not only introduces them to the sport but also provides a meaningful pathway to develop their skills, build confidence, and embed rugby’s core values. Our ambition is to keep them engaged and connected with rugby for many years to come.
“By investing in future generations, we’re creating a more vibrant and sustainable future for rugby on the road to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and beyond.”
World Rugby Women's Participation Programme Manager Ninette Kruyt added: “Rugby Rising Play has been met with tremendous enthusiasm, offering a valuable and alternative way for teenage girls to engage with rugby. The response from unions has been very encouraging, with a record-breaking 66 unions applying in the first round of grants. This highlights the growing demand for opportunities that support female players at all levels.
“We are proud to have created this initiative, and we’re excited to see the lasting impact it will have on the development of girls’ rugby worldwide.”
The pilot programme, implemented across nine unions in five regions, introduced a new wave of teenage girls to rugby for the first time, creating a holistic learning environment that aligns with World Rugby’s core values. The initiative has generated significant impact beyond the field, fostering a growing social media presence and attracting seed funding to sustain its efforts. Many of the girls involved are participating in sport for the first time, with the programme receiving additional support from government bodies and local dignitaries who have actively participated in rugby festivals, further elevating its community and social influence.
Impact Beyond 2025 will sit alongside Impact ‘25, the RFU’s transformational domestic legacy programme designed to accelerate the growth of women’s and girls’ rugby throughout England and the home nations. The plan has already seen £12.13 million of Government funding committed to the sport in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to the end of March 2025, creating more opportunities for women and girls to get involved in rugby and help the RFU achieve its ambition of 100,000 female players by 2027.
