Following on from the publication of the Impact ’25 Year 3 Flash Report last week, and with only 8 days remaining until the Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off in Sunderland, the RFU is proud to share the progress of the Impact ’25 International Development Strand. These results demonstrate how a significant number of players who have come through Impact ’25 funded projects have gone on to gain international honours.
Impact ’25 is being delivered by the RFU in partnership with UK Government, Sport England and UK Sport creating more opportunities for women and girls to get involved in rugby. The programme is providing substantial improvements in facilities and greater opportunities for females at all levels of the game.
The International Development Strand is designed to enhance and expand female performance pathways across all Home Unions in a bid to improve standards and strengthen the competitiveness of the international game. It also aims to improve the quality and quantity of female coaches and officials in the elite game in the UK.
Scotland
Scottish Rugby’s Impact 25 funding has gone towards funding three dedicated performance coaches to provide high quality training environments for players at their three Regional Training Centres.
These centres provide daily training for 100 players across Scotland – a significant number of whom have now gone on to gain international honours.
Out of the 29 players in Scotland’s U20 Women’s Summer Series, 25 (86%) of them had come through one of the Regional Training Centres. This success is also reflected in their training squad for RWC 2025, where 16 of the players (42%) had come through one of the centres.
Nicole Flynn is part of the current U20s squad, and highlights the significant difference the additional support has made to her.
“Especially in the gym, I feel like I’ve got a lot stronger focusing not just on the rugby aspect but also the physical aspect. “I can’t really imagine what my rugby career would be like without it. I’m just very grateful that I’ve had this at my doorstep my whole rugby career and I’m so excited to keep going.”
Wales
In Wales, the WRU have predominantly invested their funding in embedding part time coaches across their national Player Development Centre network. By giving players a transformational and inspiring coaching experience, the aim is to develop the next generation of international Welsh players.
The Centres have already had significant success in this regard – a third of the Welsh RWC 2025 Training Squad had come through the Player Development Centre (PDC) Network. Within the U20s squad, that figure was even higher at 63%, whilst an impressive 96% of the U18 squad had come through the network.
18-year old scrum half Seren Lockwood, who made her debut for Wales during their July tour to Australia, has come through one of the PDCs on her journey to the national side.
“I was away at college when I first worked with the PDC East, it really helped with my pre-season fitness and improved my basic skills. Elinor Snowsill was part of the set-up, and it was amazing to work so closely with Snowy, she really brought her knowledge and experience to all of us, and it made a big impact on me.
“She really enhanced all of our skills. Being a half-back, having her to work with was great on a personal level.”
Ireland
Ireland chose to distribute their Impact ’25 funding to the four provinces of Connacht, Munster, Leinster and Ulster. Each province used the funding in their own way to identify and support players in the provincial programs providing enhanced support around nutrition, athletic development and holistic practices, as well as engaging the coaches around them. Following feedback from referees working group a national program providing support to referees was also developed cumulating in an in-person workshop and networking event coinciding with the Ireland vs France game in the Women’s Six Nations.
The provision of the enhanced services over the last number of seasons has contributed to both the U18’s and U20’s Ireland teams with most of the players across both squads having come through and benefitted from their provincial structures. 26 of the 28 players in the U18’s squad and 30 of the 35 players in the U20 squad have come through the provincial structures.
Jemima Adams Verling, is one of the players who has benefitted from the additional support over the last number of seasons. Jemima who plays her club rugby with Creggs progressed from Connacht U18’s to playing for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge as well as being awarded Connacht’s Women’s Club Player of the Year and went on to get selected to the IRFU’s National Training Squad as well as Ireland U20’s squad.
“Going to NTS really developed my skills and it pushed me on - I got my first Ireland U18 Cap and then I went on to get my first Ireland Sevens cap. It’s those little things, just improving your passing and getting those tactics dead right that gets you picked for those teams.
“Without NTS I don’t think I would be the tackler or the carrier I am, so it really has pushed me on.”
UK Sport is providing £1m over four years into the International Development Strand
Sally Munday, CEO from UK Sport said:
“Major sporting events are a powerful platform to deliver change. We are determined to harness the momentum from Rugby World Cup 2025 and unlock the full sporting potential of women’s rugby throughout the home nations.
"As part of Impact ’25, UK Sport are proud to support the international development by working hand in hand with our home unions to deliver dynamic programmes that will elevate standards of competition across the UK. Working closely with the RFU, WRU, SRU and IRFU, we are laying the foundations for sustainable growth and increased competitiveness in the women’s game.”
Through the Impact ’25 International Development Strand, England Rugby continues its work with Elev8, its first-ever performance leadership programme exclusively for elite female coaches. With Elev8, England Rugby is taking another step towards creating a sustainable pipeline of female coaches who will lead the women’s game to new heights, ensuring that the legacy of the 2025 Rugby World Cup is felt across all levels of the sport.