World Rugby has announced today that 17 new positions on its highest decision-making body will be taken by women.
According to World Rugby, the reform will give the 11 unions and six regional associations, who currently have an additional vote but no additional representative, the right to send an extra representative to the council subject to that person being female.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Following the meeting today in London, World Rugby’s 2017-25 Women’s Plan was also ratified by the council. The Women’s Plan and the governance reform proposal were “developed under the guidance of the Women’s Advisory Committee” – which was established in 2015.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont called the reforms “historic”.
“This is a major milestone in the progression and growth of World Rugby and the global game,” he said. “The reform is historic, reflective of our ambitions and long overdue.
“If we are to promote and nurture the growth of women in rugby then change must be led from the top. I would like to thank my council colleagues for their full commitment to this important reform and I look forward to welcoming their new representatives from rugby and beyond so that together we can work to further rugby worldwide.
“It is clearly a fantastic start and opens the door to even greater female representation in council and across rugby in the future.”
Growth levels in women’s rugby are at an all-time high. Latest figures reveal 2.4 million women and girls are playing the sport – that’s 26% of all players globally – and since 2013 there has been a 60% increase in female players.
About World Rugby’s 2017-25 Women’s Plan
Aims of the strategic Women’s Plan:
- Drive inspirational leadership on and off the field
- Grow sustainable participation
- Build high performance through quality competition
- Build an impactful profile, inspiring engagement
- Grow strategic, sustainable investment partnerships
-
Cracker Barrel crackup: How the culture wars are upending corporate brandingIn the Spotlight Is it 'woke' to leave nostalgia behind?
-
'It's hard to discern what it actually means'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump lambasts crime, but his administration is cutting gun violence preventionThe Explainer The DOJ has canceled at least $500 million in public safety grants
-
The biggest sporting events of 2025The Explainer Women's Rugby World Cup and African Cup of Nations are among sporting highlights this coming year
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assaultSpeed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pantsSpeed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second comingSpeed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
-
Bank holidays and boycotts: are MPs trying to jinx England?Speed Read Declaring a bank holiday would be ‘tempting fate’, says Boris Johnson
-
Weightlifting: Olympic Games set for transgender firstSpeed Read New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will make history at Tokyo 2020
-
Sport shorts: Champions League expansion plan to be agreedSpeed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Joachim Low and the Lions women’s team
-
Sport shorts: Sturgeon slams Rangers fans over title celebrationsSpeed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Keely Hodgkinson and Bryson DeChambeau
