Djougang To Feature In World Cup’s ‘Strong Bodies, Strong Minds’ Campaign
Linda Djougang is pictured celebrating with try scorer Deirbhile Nic a Bháird following Ireland's 27-21 win over Scotland in Cork last Saturday ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Ireland prop Linda Djougang is one of the featured players in ‘Strong Bodies, Strong Minds’, a new campaign aimed at empowering women and girls by sparking a conversation around body confidence in sport.
The campaign forms part of the 2025 Rugby World Cup’s commitment to empower real change, as the tournament sets out to celebrate that girls belong in sport, women belong in their chosen career, and women and girls belong in rugby.Â
In the UK, young girls are dropping out of sport at alarming rates, with over one million girls disengaging from sport after primary school with body confidence being one of the key reasons why.
‘Strong Bodies, Strong Minds’ will use the World Cup’s platform to spark a conversation about body confidence and celebrate the diverse and strong bodies that Women’s rugby exemplifies.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage more girls to see sport as a place for them, on or off the field, and a place where they feel they belong.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, Sarah Massey, said: “Our ambition for the upcoming Rugby World Cup goes far beyond the pitch. We believe every body belongs in rugby – it’s a place where you can show up exactly as you are – strong, powerful, and unapologetically you.Â
“We want to ignite real change and use the power of rugby to show every woman and girl that she can be anything, do anything, and belong anywhere. To every girl who’s ever felt she doesn’t belong in sport, this one’s for you.”
The campaign launches alongside a special episode of ‘Should I Delete That?’, the hit podcast hosted by Em Clarkson and Alex Light, celebrated for their honest and empowering conversations around body confidence and the nuances of online culture in the modern age of social media.Â
Joining the hosts is Wales back rower Gwen Crabb, who spoke candidly on the episode about how rugby changed her perspective from worrying about how her body looks to appreciating what it can achieve. Â
The episode explores the societal pressures young women face, the transformative role of sport in building confidence, and how rugby is a powerful space for strong, unapologetic personalities, and a place where everyone can belong.

Speaking on the podcast, Crabb said: “As a young girl playing a sport where you can see everyone looks different and everyone has different strengths and weaknesses physically, I think that’s really empowering. Â
“It doesn’t matter whatever body shape I am, no matter how much I weigh, there’s a place for me on the team. When you have friendships in a sport like rugby, the conversation is not, ‘you look good today’, it’s, ‘you trained really well today’, or ‘unbelievable, you hit a personal best’.
“I think that’s really important for young girls to see. I get to see all these different amazing women every day, they all look different, they all eat different amounts and train different amounts, we’re all so different but we all have this common goal, and we’re all strong women trying to work towards that.”
The campaign is rolling out across digital platforms, social media, and traditional media features, amplifying stories of strength and individuality.Â
With participation from some of the world’s top players and influencers, including Djougang, Crabb, Scotland’s Rhona Lloyd, and England’s Sarah Bern, ‘Strong Bodies, Strong Minds’ aims spark a nationwide conversation of empowerment and belonging.Â
Fans and players alike are invited to connect with the campaign using the hashtags:
#StrongBodiesStrongMinds, #WhereWeBelong, and #RWC2025Â