The English Rugby Football Union has laid out an ambitious new plan for the women’s game over the next four years, building on the success of becoming World Champions in 2014 and heading into the Women’s Rugby World Cup being hosted in Ireland in 2017.
There is a clear ambition to improve the player pathway for the development of the international game. The RFU also unveiled ‘The Red Roses’ as a new identity for the England Women’s team.
With 26,000 players involved in the sport there is already a strong base to build own. Marketing is an important element of that.
While some were instantly critical of the ‘need’ to have an identity, they miss the point of the power that can deliver.
Simply witness the brand strength and emotional power of the All Blacks in rugby or Team GB at the Olympics and Paralympic Games.
This is the video launched yesterday to announce the new approach. It is powerful content. We wonder whether the producers may have taken some hints from the Lidl campaign around Ladies Gaelic Football.
“England Rugby has demonstrated its commitment to the women’s game,” said RFU Chief Executive Ian Ritchie,
“We wanted to create an identity for England Women that would inspire more people to get involved whether playing or supporting the women’s game.”
England stars Sarah Hunter, Natasha Hunt and Emily Scarratt were joined by Ritchie, RFU Director of Professional Rugby Nigel Melville, RFU Director of Rugby Development Steve Grainger and England legend Maggie Alphonsi to unveil the Red Roses at Twickenham yesterday.
They described the rose, as the emblem of England Rugby, as epitomising the unique qualities of England Women as strong, relentless and glorious.
Exciting Place
“The sport is in an exciting place with England as current Women’s Rugby World Cup champions and the rugby sevens in the Olympics Games in Rio showcasing women’s rugby to new audiences,” added Ritchie.
“With more professional contracts, and ever-increasing investment in the women’s game from grassroots to elite level, we feel this is a pivotal moment to shine a spotlight on the game in this country.”
“We want to grow our fan base and ultimately get more women and girls considering rugby as an option for them to play.”
Grainger also revealed over 26,000 women and girls regularly play contact rugby, surpassing the RFU’s women and girls strategy target of 25,000, one year ahead of schedule.
“We have created more playing opportunities in schools, clubs and universities, increased investment in facilities and strengthened our coaching base,” said Grainger.
“We are also grateful to Sport England, whose financial support has contributed significantly to this growth.
300 Clubs
“With over 300 rugby clubs across the country now hosting women and girls’ teams, there are numerous opportunities for women and girls across England to participate in rugby whether that be sevens, 15s or O2 Touch.
“The England Women have also played a big role, driving interest in the game following their Rugby World Cup win in 2014 and exposing the sport to a wide audience through the sevens teams’ participation in Rio and the strong performance of the 15’s last season.”
Since England Women lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2014, 20 professional full-time sevens contracts were introduced ahead of the Rio Olympics and the RFU launched a strategy to get an additional 10,000 women and girls playing regular contact rugby.
This year, England Rugby announced 48 professional contracts for 15s and sevens players, the first-ever sponsored women’s series will take place in November with the Old Mutual Wealth Series, and the Red Roses will wear the first women’s custom Canterbury kit for the 2016/17 season.
These are areas of real progress and will be echoed by the IRFU in terms of hosting the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup and building a lasting legacy for the sport and the girls and women who do play and will be attracted towards it.
In the coming weeks, leading up to our Teaming Up for Women’s Sport event on November 30th Sport for Business will speak to those involved in the game here and continue to bring you news on what is happening in Women’s sport across rugby and all the other major areas of sport and activity.
