Celebrating International Women’s Day

Today, we are proud to celebrate International Women’s Day and the people, partnerships and progress driving the women’s and girls’ game across Irish Rugby.

As part of this celebration, staff from across the IRFU and the four provinces came together for a Women’s Game Staff Forum, creating an important opportunity to connect, accelerate learnings and engage on all the growth opportunities and planning across the women and girls game.

Bringing together staff working across different areas of women’s and girls’ rugby, from National team performance staff to grass roots rugby staff – the forum provided a space to share ideas, accelerate learnings, and discuss the opportunities ahead by the people closest to have impact.

The energy in the room was a powerful and energising to have so many staff across the whole game focusing thoughts and plans for how to accelerate the women and girls game. Across the organisation and the provinces, there is a collective commitment to continue building a strong and sustainable future for women’s and girls’ rugby.

Reflecting on the importance of collaboration across the game, IRFU Head of Women’s Strategy Lynne Cantwell said,

“International Women’s Day is an important moment to recognise the people across Irish Rugby who are driving the women’s and girls’ game forward every day. From our clubs and volunteers to staff across the provinces and the IRFU, there is a shared passion and commitment to creating more opportunities for women and girls to be involved in rugby. The momentum we’re seeing across the game, from our clubs and volunteers to staff across the provinces and the IRFU reflects a shared commitment to creating more opportunities for women and girls to be involved in rugby. We have to be real, and know there is a lot of work to do and some of it not straight forward, but its really encouraging to see that collective buy in to achieve that.”

That momentum is already visible across the game.

The Green Wave

The Green Wave continues to gather pace as anticipation builds ahead of the upcoming Women’s Six Nations. Sign up to our exclusive GREENWAVE newsletter for all the latest news and content from the Ireland Women’s team and Women’s Rugby in Ireland.

Support for the team has been reflected in ticket demand, with more than 15,000 tickets already sold for Ireland’s Women’s Six Nations fixture at Aviva Stadium this May, a clear signal of the growing appetite for the women’s game, secure your tickets here.

Leadership Roles

At a provincial level, the recruitment of four new Women’s Rugby Provincial Leadership roles marks another important step forward. These positions will play a key role in driving participation, supporting clubs, and ensuring the women’s game continues to grow across all four provinces.

Women’s Rugby Network

Behind the scenes, the foundations for continued growth are also strengthening. The Women’s Rugby Network continues to expand, providing a space for members of the rugby community to come together, share experiences, and explore ideas and collaborations that will support the development of the women’s and girls’ game. Join the Women’s Network on Linkedin or Whatsapp.

Give It A Try

At grassroots level, the pathway into rugby remains as strong as ever. This summer, more than 80 clubs have signed up to deliver Canterbury Give It A Try programmes, introducing girls across the country to rugby in a fun, welcoming and supportive environment.

Together, these moments reflect the collective effort happening across Irish Rugby, from grassroots initiatives and community programmes to leadership development and international preparation.

There’s so much to celebrate and still so much more to do.

Happy International Women’s Day.