The IRFU is committed to creating opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in rugby and to supporting clubs to provide safe, welcoming and inclusive environments.

Our approach is to support the inclusion of people with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities within existing rugby clubs wherever safe and appropriate, while also working in partnership with disability organisations to develop opportunities that meet the needs of participants.

Through our Disability Rugby programmes, we aim to remove barriers to participation and provide players, coaches, volunteers and clubs with the resources, training and support they need to make rugby more accessible.

Disability Rugby Formats

The IRFU currently supports three disability rugby formats across Ireland: Tag Disability Rugby, Mixed Ability Rugby and Vision Impaired Rugby.

Tag Disability Rugby

Tag Disability Rugby is a non-contact format of the game which provides opportunities for children and adults with disabilities to participate in rugby.

The format develops fundamental movement and rugby skills, including running, balance, handling, passing and kicking, within an inclusive and adaptable environment.

Opportunities are available from 6 years of age, with clubs able to adapt activities to meet the needs and abilities of their participants.

Mixed Ability Rugby

Mixed Ability Rugby brings players with and without disabilities together as equal members of the same team.

It is an adult contact format of rugby, played under the laws of the game with appropriate modifications, including uncontested scrums, to support safe participation.

Mixed Ability Rugby provides players with the opportunity to train, play and be part of the wider social environment of their rugby club.

Vision Impaired Rugby

Vision Impaired Rugby (VI Rugby) provides opportunities for people who are blind or partially sighted to participate in rugby.

Based around a Rugby 7s touch format, the game takes account of a wide range of sight conditions while retaining the fundamental skills and principles of rugby.

The IRFU works in partnership with Vision Sports Ireland to support the development of VI Rugby, with the programme based at Old Wesley RFC.

Supporting Inclusive Rugby Clubs

Creating an inclusive rugby environment goes beyond the format of the game.

The IRFU works with clubs, coaches and volunteers to help identify and remove barriers to participation and to build greater confidence and understanding around disability inclusion.

This includes disability-specific training, practical club resources and guidance to support clubs at different stages of their inclusion journey.

Resources include:

• Disability Coaching Toolkit
• Guidance on Setting Up a Disability Rugby Section
• Sports Passport
• Communication resources
• Tag Disability Rugby guidance
• Vision Impaired Rugby resources
• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
• Additional disability inclusion guidance and resources

For additional resources, guidance or support on disability inclusion, please contact David McKay at david.mckay@irfu.ie.

Disability and inclusion training is available through the IRFU Education platform:
https://educationstore.irfu.ie/catalog?pagename=IRFU-SP-DEPT

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair Rugby is governed in Ireland by IWA-Sport.

The IRFU and Irish Wheelchair Association have a Memorandum of Understanding to support the continued development of Wheelchair Rugby and strengthen opportunities for collaboration across the two sports.

Further information on Wheelchair Rugby is available through IWA-Sport:
https://www.iwa.ie/sport/our-sports/wheelchair-rugby/

IRFU strives to ensure that every rugby club is a welcoming place where all players have a positive, lifelong experience in the game. Players can remain part of the Irish Rugby family throughout their lives, taking on roles that allow them to be the best version of themselves.

The IRFU is committed to providing opportunities for as many people as possible to play and participate in rugby, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. While each club should be that welcoming space, there are specific LGBTQ+ clubs that provide rugby in various formats for members of the LGBTQ+ community. These teams play under the governance of the IRFU and are members of International Gay Rugby, the representative organisation of the global LGBTQ+ global community that hosts tournaments in Europe and across the world. You can contact these teams via email: 

• Emerald Warriors (Leinster) - info@ewrfc.ie
• Cork Hellhounds (Cork) - hell@corkhellhounds.ie
• Sarsfields (Limerick) - sarsfieldsrfc@gmail.com 
• Azlans (Belfast) - belfastazlans@gmail.com 

The formats of tag and touch are open to all players, while there are restrictions on some players in the contact format of the game. As it is physical; strength, stamina and physique can have an impact on safety, the inclusion of transgender and nonbinary players requires guidance to ensure that a player’s declared gender is balanced with the safety of all players.

These restrictions will depend on a combination of factors including the category of rugby that is to be participated in, the player’s biological sex and the level of competency to participate in the chosen category of rugby.

The IRFU, in conjunction with World Rugby, Sport Ireland, Sport NI and other organisations will continually monitor and review this policy in accordance with the most up-to-date research, recommendations and advice. A copy of the Gender Participation Policy is available by emailing safegaurding@irfu.ie 

Everyone deserves the chance to participate in sport and experience the positive things that sport can offer, be it as a fan, a player, or a coach or volunteer. LGBTQ+ inclusion has no off-season, so have a look at our 10 tips for being an ally to LGBTQ+ people in rugby below and/or take a look at the IRFU Diversity & Inclusion training to learn more, https://educationstore.irfu.ie/catalog?pagename=IRFU-SP-DEPT

Everyone deserves the chance to participate in sport and experience the positive things that sport can offer, be it as a fan, a player, or a coach or volunteer. LGBTQ+ inclusion has no off-season and is more than 1-month a year, so have a look at our 10 tips for being an ally to LGBTQ+ people in rugby:

1. Challenge anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes

Over the years, the culture around anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes started to shift in the sporting world. However, more than one in five sport fans still think anti-LGBTQ+ language is harmless if it’s meant as ‘banter’. Speak up when you see or hear anti-LGBTQ+ bullying or language. ‘Allyship’ is a doing word. Even if it feels hard to challenge, your actions can have a real impact and go a long way to making sure that sport is everyone’s game. For more information on appropriate inclusive language take a look at the IRFU D&I training module, https://educationstore.irfu.ie/catalog?pagename=IRFU-SP-DEPT

2. Celebrate LGBTQ+ people’s achievements in sport

It’s important to recognise and uplift LGBTQ+ people throughout the year, not just in the context of discrimination. This can be through sharing positive news stories or interviews with LGBTQ+ people in sports on your social media channels. Have you watched Joy Neville & Nick McCarthy: Coffee and Chats - Barriers & Education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl7B7ZOfOZM or Mental Health & Advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsiXlLC7ZrU . Can your club do a similar news stories involving your own members and/or local community?

3. Be an ally to LGBTQ+ who face multiple forms of discrimination

The fight against discrimination in sport has been and continues to be a long and difficult one. For LGBTQ+ people, sport can be an especially unwelcoming environment with barriers to inclusion and recognition. You can start to tackle discrimination by educating yourself about these issues. Have you and your club completed the ’IRFU diversity and inclusion training’? Why not share the link: https://educationstore.irfu.ie/catalog?pagename=IRFU-SP-DEPT 

4. Establish or re-establish the ground rules of respect and inclusion

Every team member plays a huge role in making people feel part of a team. Whether it’s in team talks, end of season speeches, WhatsApp groups or changing room chatter – is the Spirit of Rugby Charter on display in your club and do members know they sign up to it on registration, https://www.irishrugby.ie/participation/spirit-rugby/. This not only sets the tone of ‘Respect’ but also advocates members to speak up and not to be a bystander.

5. Make sure your club policies reflect inclusive values

For many, sport and sporting environments are ‘safe spaces’ - somewhere they feel comfortable and at ease. However, for some that same place might make them feel like they must hide part of their lives because of how others might react. Encourage your club to create a space where everyone can be themselves with respect for differences. See how this was for Darren Morrin from Malahide RFC https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/06/23/lads-asked-the-question-and-i-said-yeah-i-was-gay-then-we-played-the-game-and-had-a-beer-afterwards

6. Be aware of the challenges your LGBTQ+ peers might be facing

Take the time to listen to LGBTQ+ people’s experiences. Consider the ways that they could be impacted by issues such as social isolation, healthcare inequalities, or discrimination at home, in the community, or at their place or work or education. Read how Coach Graeme McInerney believes that language on and around pitch matters, https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/07/13/i-do-believe-that-we-need-to-be-careful-about-language-and-the-words-we-use-coach-to-coach-advice-on-being-more-inclusive

7. Be a visible ally 

Wearing Rainbow laces can go a long way to demonstrating commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Consider how you can support the Rainbow Laces campaign and be a visible ally throughout the year. https://www.belongto.org/rainbow-laces/ AND/OR https://stonewalluk.myshopify.com/collections/rainbow-laces 

8. Share your pronouns

Sharing your pronouns (if you feel comfortable), and suggesting your teammates or fellow fans do too, helps to create a culture where gender identity isn’t assumed. You can share your pronouns when introducing yourself to others, in your social media bio and/or in your e-mail signature.

9. Commit to continuous improvement

Whilst there can be some quick wins for LGBTQ+ inclusion, the real impact comes with continued effort. Ask yourself what else you could do to be an ally to LGBTQ+ people. Even better, ask some LGBTQ+ people too. Seek out opinions of your members as to what would help create a more inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community in and around your club.

10. Be consistent

Being an ally is about being consistent and looking out for your LGBTQ+ peers, no matter what. LGBTQ+ Inclusion has no off-season and even if it doesn’t matter to you, it will matter to someone in your club. 

IRFU aims to ensure equal treatment for all individuals so that the Irish rugby community is a safe and welcoming space, offering access to the game to those who wish to connect and thrive through rugby within a community that’s reflective of a diverse Irish society.

Following on from its attainment of the GOLD award by the Irish Centre for Diversity, IRFU has partnered with them to deliver anti-racism training across the organisation. This online training will assist clubs develop the knowledge and awareness they need to foster a supportive, inclusive culture. Training is available here: https://educationstore.irfu.ie/catalog?pagename=IRFU-SP-DEPT

We will also work with the Irish Centre of Diversity on a series of focus groups to gather insights into how the rugby community can be more welcoming to new audiences.