Women’s Rugby requires an additional €2.4 million, on top of the annual €5.5 million committed in the recent annual report, to implement the recommendations contained in the Women In Rugby Report published today arising out of Amanda Bennett’s independent review of the Women’s Rugby landscape.

The shortfall reduced immediately with Kevin Potts, CEO of the IRFU, straight away pledging an additional €1 million from internal resources.

The balance will need to be found over the coming years from external sources which could include Government through Sport Ireland or via new or enhanced commercial partnerships.

The reports findings are drawn from a survey conducted by leading market research consultancy, Opinions Market Research, and 77 interviews with a range of stakeholders directly involved in the women’s game in Ireland.

The contributors were made up of the different interest groups as outlined in the image below.

That does represent a broad base, and while there will still be tensions over the way that proposed competitions, formats and structures can be accommodated, there does appear a greater willingness to sort then out than might have been the case in years gone by.

The fact that the Women’s AIL Final takes place tomorrow while four starters from each team are with the Ireland 7’s in South Africa is a frustration for the teams but something that is always possible when the two formats are growing in parallel and the foundation player base remains low, albeit growing.

Optimistic

The registered adult player base is just over 3,000, hit by Covid on its way to a target by the end of next year of 5,000. It may take a little longer but the report is optimistic about the measures taking place in under age rugby, including the Aldi Play Rugby and Canterbury Give it a Try programmes that are reaching numbers above expectation.

59 per cent of Rugby Clubs are now offering a Girls and Women’s opportunity which is a better place than when ireland hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017 and the number was only 21 per cent.

That allows for what was stated today as the ambition within Women’s Rugby that everyone who wants to play should be able to.

Coaching numbers are also much stronger with 923 registered female coaches in 2022, five times the number of 2018 and more than twice the number that was targeted for 2023.

Without the foundation that schools rugby has always offered to the Men’s game, progress and player numbers may be lower for longer than if it were replicated but there is a realism that this will take time and no particular desire to replicate what may be seen as the intensity of the schools experience.

Recommendations

There are 35 recommendations across four pillars set out in the review and these have been considered and accepted by the IRFU Committee and will now feed into the IRFU’s new 2023-2028 Strategic Plan which is being developed.

They need to be fully costed before being implemented but the will is there to find a way and the mood in the Aviva Stadium today was positive.

Kevin Potts and Niall Rynne were both present but to the side, allowing Fiona Steed, Gillian McDarby, Amanda Greensmith and Su Carty to take centre stage alongside IRFU President John Robinson.

The support of men is vital but often in the past Rugby may have relied too much on men being at the centre of everything. That is still an issue with the Leadership target of 40 per cent set by Government for the end of next year still “the subject of ongoing discussion” between the sport and the Department.  But things are improving.

“Over the course of six months, nearly 1,000 people engaged in interviews, group discussions and surveys to share their views, experiences and ideas,” said the report author Amanda Bennett.

“What is clear is the passion for rugby and, in particular, women’s greater involvement in rugby. The review should be seen as a natural process with the current Women in Rugby Action Plan due for completion in 2023.”

“The recommendations represent actions that the IRFU can implement as part of a revised Women’s plan. I appreciate that not all recommendations will meet the expectations of all stakeholders, however they are a direct result of extensive consultation, international benchmarking and honest, open discussion. This Report reflects the views of those playing and leading the game in Ireland and I believe, as recommendations are converted into action, will set Irish rugby on the path to success.”

There was much talk of the journey and that is fair to allow from not quite a standing start but certainly from a lower position than Gaelic Games and Football have been addressing the issues around access, visibility, equity and performance in Women’s sport.

This wasn’t the first step on that journey and it is nowhere near the last but it is an important one.

We will take a look at a number of the recommendations in further detail over the coming days.

Download the Women In Rugby Report HERE