World Rugby has launched its first global dedicated girls’ participation programme called Rugby Rising Play which they hope will increase the active teenage female player base globally.
The programme was mentioned in the launch of the Impact Beyond 2025 Global Impact programme in September 2024. and a successful pilot was rolled out across nine unions in five regions from 2023 through to 2024.
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.”
What is Rugby Rising Play?
Welcome to Rugby Rising Play 👋
Our aim? To welcome girls into rugby, whichever way they choose.
The future of rugby is on the rise, are you coming? 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yw0XlCefs2
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 3, 2024
Under the launch announced in October 2024, more than 40 unions will roll out the participation programme over the next 12 months in the lead-up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025. Applications opened earlier this year for eligible unions which led to more than 40 being selected to take part in the programme.
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.”
World Rugby says “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 goal of Rugby Rising Play is to get participating girls playing T1 Rugby, and other formats of the game, and 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.
Rugby Rising Play is the first initiative to launch under the new ‘Rugby Rising’ visual identity and the governing body says it will continue to create Rugby Rising initiatives, “recognising the importance of engaging girls as a crucial demographic as it seeks to grow rugby globally.”
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