More women are playing rugby than ever before
\nParticipation grows by 270,000 in 2014<\/p>\n
Global total reaches record 1.77 million<\/p>\n
Record numbers of girls able to Get Into Rugby as the game celebrates International Women’s Day<\/p>\n
The global rugby community has united to celebrate the growth and development of women\u2019s rugby on International Women\u2019s Day under the theme ‘Make It Happen’. <\/p>\n
World Rugby and its member unions are committed to ‘Make It Happen’ and ensure easy access to rugby for women and girls through initiatives like the Get Into Rugby mass participation programme, which saw 121,000 girls across 138 nations introduced to the game in 2014. <\/p>\n
With women\u2019s rugby one of the world\u2019s fastest-growing team sports and a mass participation reality in nations such as USA, Mexico and India, global participation has increased from 1.5 to 1.77 million in 2014 as women\u2019s rugby enjoyed a record year of exposure on and off the field. <\/p>\n
World Rugby Women\u2019s Development Manager Susan Carty said: “I hope that International Women\u2019s Day has inspired a new generation of women and young girls to take up rugby, make new friendships and dream big. <\/p>\n
“With rugby sevens set to make its Olympic Games debut next year, it should encourage even more women and girls to take up the sport.” <\/p>\n
Social media has been at the heart of reaching out and inspiring women and girls and showcasing the sport and its character-building values to new audiences around the globe, with players, coaches and match officials pledging their messages of support and excitement on International Women’s Day by using the hashtag #WomensRugby and joining the conversation @WorldRugby. <\/p>\n
Rachael Burford, women’s athlete Rugby Committee member said: \u201cWomen\u2019s Rugby World Cup 2014 was a breakthrough for women\u2019s rugby with the event capturing hearts and minds and deservedly attracting significant coverage owing to the quality, the skill and the passion of the players.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWith women\u2019s rugby crossing cultural and sporting boundaries, the race to become the first female athletes to represent the sport at the Olympic Games is well and truly underway in 2015 as we look forward to rugby sevens at Rio 2016.\u201d <\/p>\n