The Ireland Women’s Rugby team is preparing for a significant match against England this upcoming weekend. Their recent triumph over Wales in the Guinness Six Nations has put them in contention for a match against Scotland in Belfast next Saturday, with the opportunity to secure third place in the Championship and automatic qualification for the Rugby World Cup in England in 2025.
The women’s game received a substantial boost with the announcement of a new £3 million ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ Pathways Funding grant from the Women’s Lions partner Royal London by the British and Irish Lions.
This funding aims to support the development of players and coaches in preparation for the inaugural Howden Lions Women’s Tour to New Zealand in 2027, featuring three Tests against the Black Ferns, the current world champions, as well as pre-Test fixtures.
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) plans to utilize the funds to host additional women’s U18 and U20 camps and training matches to accelerate player development. Additionally, they will implement a ‘Coach Accelerator Scholarship Program’ focused on removing gender-related career barriers.
The Rugby Football Union in England intends to use the grant to further develop its ‘Player Development Groups’, enhancing the overall player experience journey and increasing the targeted skill development of players in the pipeline.
Scottish Rugby will recruit two Performance Pipeline coaches and deliver additional U18 and U20 camps and training matches to accelerate development within the teams. They also plan to host residential camps for a national academy which brings together the best pipeline players in Scotland.
The Welsh Rugby Union will strengthen their women’s pathway coaching staff with five new members, invest in talent identification programmes, and develop transfer programmes across the country, along with initiatives to engage Welsh qualified talent based outside of Wales.
Royal London has commissioned a bespoke shirt to showcase the impact of this investment on women in rugby. Ben Calveley, CEO of the Lions, expressed their commitment to the growth of the women’s game and the positive impact the grant will have on women’s rugby.
Susie Logan, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Royal London, also emphasized their goal as the Founding Partner of the Women’s Lions Team to play an integral part in levelling the playing field for women’s rugby.
This funding and support from Royal London represent a significant milestone for the development of women’s rugby, breaking down barriers and ensuring support for women’s rugby at all levels.
The future looks promising for women’s rugby with this new funding in place. The collaboration between the British and Irish Lions and Royal London, alongside the participation of the IRFU, Rugby Football Union in England, Scottish Rugby, and the Welsh Rugby Union is a promising step towards the continued growth and development of women’s rugby.
The support from the Lions and Royal London will pave the way for a new era in women’s rugby, making a difference for this and future generations.