Women's Rugby is Booming, But Safety Relies on Borrowed Assumptions from the Men's Game

Strategic Insights -

Women's rugby has experienced a significant surge in popularity worldwide, with a record 2.7 million players globally as of 2021, a 25 per cent increase over four years. The growth is most pronounced in countries like Australia, England, Ireland, and the United States, where professional contracts for women's teams are being offered. However, despite the rapid rise of the sport, many systems, including coaching and medical support, have not kept pace with the demands of elite competition. The sport carries inherent risks, with tackling being the top cause of injury in rugby, and concussion rates among youth girls' sports in Canada being among the highest.

Key Takeaways:

  • As of 2021, women's rugby reached a record 2.7 million players globally, a 25 per cent increase over four years.
  • The national sevens team captured silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, further evidence of the game's growing competitiveness in Canada.
  • The senior women's XVs team is currently ranked second in the world and heading into the 2025 Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on Aug. 22 in England.
  • Many systems, including coaching and medical support, have not kept pace with the demands of elite competition.
  • The women's game is becoming more physical and professionalized, with players being hit harder and more often, leading to concussions and long-term health effects.
  • Women's teams often operate with fewer medical or coaching support resources, leading to inconsistent or absent injury prevention programs.
  • Most of what we know about rugby safety comes from research on men, leaving female players under-served and potentially at greater risk.
  • Only four per cent of rugby tackle research has focused on women, highlighting the need for more studies on female participants.
  • Strength, speed, and injury risk can vary due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and other factors that are currently not well-studied.
  • Women are 2.6 times more likely than men to sustain a concussion, and gender also shapes access to training, care, and facilities.
  • World Rugby's safety tools were designed around male athletes, and these tools need to be adapted and evaluated for female contexts.
  • A search of PubMed reveals a steep rise in studies on women's rugby over the past decade, especially in injury surveillance, injury prevention, and performance.
  • New research is led by the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, which focuses on preventing concussions in adolescent girls' rugby.
  • Resources like World Rugby's Contact Confident help girls and women safely build tackle skills.

Statistics:

  • 2.7 million women's rugby players globally as of 2021.
  • 25 per cent increase in women's rugby players over four years.
  • 38 per cent year-over-year growth in women's rugby participation by 2023.
  • 4 per cent of rugby tackle research has focused on women.
  • Women are 2.6 times more likely than men to sustain a concussion.
  • PubMed reveals a steep rise in studies on women's rugby over the past decade.

Sources:

  • The Conversation -- Canada -- By Kathryn Dane, Postdoctoral associate, University of Calgary
  • Women's rugby is booming, but safety relies on borrowed assumptions from the men's game -- https://theconversation.com/womens-rugby-is-booming-but-safety-relies-on-borrowed-assumptions-from-the-mens-game-261055
  • Mil OSI (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/) - Copyright 2025 Multimedia Investments Ltd, distributed by Contify.com