“I don’t want my daughter to play rugby because I don’t want her to be gay.”
This is one of many examples of messages Shaunagh Brown has received when spreading awareness about women’s rugby in the UK.
A short time ago, I had the opportunity to talk with Shaunagh, an ex-international rugby player for England. She has been a fundamental part of elevating the game, paving the way with her on-field efforts before embracing the process off it in a brave, instrumental manner.
Women’s rugby has seen an immense surge in popularity over the last few years, boasting viewing figures and intrigue which at times have rivalled that of the men’s game. Yet, there are so many facets which are itching to be exploited, as misconceptions and stereotypes continue to hinder growth in a year which should be derived as the pinnacle of the sport.
To continue on an upright trajectory, it is crucial that these issues are put to bed, once and for all.
Women’s Rugby On The Charge
The women’s game is built entirely on skill, creativity, and resilience.
X-factor talents such as Ellie Kildunne, with her electric footwork and daring flair, and Portia Woodman, a true global icon of the sport, have been instrumental in drawing attention to women’s rugby. These athletes bring not only incredible physical ability but also star quality, something often underestimated in discussions about the sport’s marketability.
Their influence has helped rugby transcend its traditional boundaries, inviting new fans into stadiums and onto screens. No longer just a fringe pastime for diehards, women’s rugby is carving out its own space in the mainstream sporting landscape.
“It’s a huge element of relaxing, enjoying and remembering why you play rugby,” says Shaunagh. “They want to put their best foot forward all the time.”
“Don’t just do rugby, play rugby, be the entertaining side.”
There’s a joy and identity in the women’s game that is infectious. It’s more than just results and rankings, as it’s about community, storytelling, and pride.
And that’s precisely what sets it apart.
Investing In Youth
Over the past year, Shaunagh has taken on a vital new role, developing the women’s game through university rugby pathways. It’s a natural next step for someone who’s always believed in rugby as a vehicle for change.
“Awareness and accessibility are the most noticeable changes in the game since I started playing” she said.
“University rugby has been the backbone of the talent factory in England.”
For many female players, university rugby isn’t just a stepping stone, it’s the launch pad. With professional academies in the women’s game still in their infancy, the university route has long been the most robust and reliable pathway to the top.
This is where the future is being forged.
Breaking Down Boundaries
To understand how to truly break down the structural and social barriers facing women’s rugby, I turned to someone who’s been immersed in the heartbeat of the university game for years… Joe Harvey.
Joe Harvey has been monitoring the trials and tribulations of BUCS rugby ever since its inception. After years on the ground scouting talent, collating names to keep tabs on before anybody else, there’s not many better people to pick the brains of regarding the University rugby big picture.
“It’s (BUCS rugby) got more standing, better players are going into it because understandably they want to get degrees along with playing professional rugby” Joe said.
“They want players to get a better life experience and with that the level of competition has gone up.”
This growing, dual-pathway appeal, where players can pursue academic and sporting ambitions simultaneously, is one of university rugby’s biggest assets. It provides players with more than just access to sport as it gives them choice, security, and valuable development as people rather than just as players.
“The way that the men’s game is structured with the traditional academy setup was so much that the gap was so far between the university game and the elite.”
Joe draws a powerful contrast between the men’s and women’s developmental structures.
“In the women’s game because there was never that traditional set up in terms of academies the step up involved less obstacles and hurdles to get over.”
In the women’s game, the academy pipeline has never fully existed. Yet, what was once seen as a lack of structure, has become a space for innovation.
This flattening of the pathway allows talented players from all backgrounds to shine. It empowers players who find the game later in life or who grow through the university game to still reach the top. In many ways, the absence of legacy structures in the women’s game has created a more diverse playing field.
To harness this opportunity, however, the people involved in making the big decisions must resist the urge to simply duplicate the men’s model. Instead, use it as a chance to carve out something new, something that fits the nature and needs of the women’s game specifically.
Finding Their Differential
The average BUCS Super Rugby fan knows all about the small congregated crowds on wet, windy Wednesday nights in the likes of Taunton and Lenton. These turnouts, compared to that of the Gallagher Premiership, are like a needle in a haystack. The thought of BUCS viewership being able to rival that of professional rugby in Britain is simply incomprehensible.
Bridging the gap between College Football and the National Football League (NFL) has graced American Football with more widespread interest than ever before. For the first time in any sport ever, a younger demographic of players are pulling in enough eyes to go toe to toe with the main outlet of a sport globally. From intriguing personalities leading diverse marketing strategies, to collating a world-class production team to output elite content, College Football are paving the way for age-grade sports emerging into the mainstream sporting spotlight.
Setting aside a certain day to build a College Football tradition has been monumental. Nowadays, when an American says they’re watching Sunday Football, they’ll almost certainly be tuning into an SEC crunch game which themselves draw in staggering volumes of spectators. There’s an opportunity for BUCS Super Rugby to implement something similar.
If the men’s game thinks this is too much of a risk, however, why not leave it to the girls?
“The investment England rugby puts into our game has transformed the PWR” said Mike Evans, part of TheDropGoal, a major rugby social media community.
“Why not take a risk? Why not splash some money on bringing in an A-class presenting team?”
It doesn’t have to be a Draft. Nor would shaping similar, unique characters solve the problem. Instead, how exciting would it be to see Dave Rogers thrown into the middle on Bath University campus an hour before a grudge match against Hartpury University in a similar style to Pat McAfee on ESPN. Doing this would amass serious attention, differentiating BUCS Super Rugby from traditional rugby in the UK.
The Next Step
“BUCS Super Rugby, especially in the women’s game, has simply nothing to lose.”
Evans is right. At the dawn of a new season, in the wake of a home World Cup that’s already making waves, women’s rugby is standing at a pivotal crossroads. The stage is set, the spotlight is on, and what happens next will define not just the next year, but potentially the next generation.
All it takes is for someone to believe in the sport enough to grab it by the scruff of the neck and run with it. Because once the world really sees what women’s rugby has to offer, it won’t be able to look away.
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