Sarah Hunter returns to her first club to inspire the next generation of female coaches

• ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Series and the Gallagher High Performance Academy join forces, delivering two-day Forum and Masterclass for female rugby leaders
• Global programme visits the North East of England, ahead of Women’s World Cup 2025, as part of World Rugby’s mission to strengthen women’s coaching pathways and increase opportunities for female leaders in rugby
• Sarah Hunter CBE – England’s most capped rugby player of all time – joined by 50 girls, women and youth leaders, who are actively involved in strengthening and developing the women’s game
• Two-day event held at a grassroots club near Newcastle upon Tyne, as build-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 continues

Held in over 25 countries, each Forum supports the women’s game at local, national and international levels, with a view to driving change and increasing the number of women involved in the sport - both on and off the field.

The UK Forum took place at Novocastrians RFC, near Newcastle upon Tyne, and was attended by 50 young, inspirational female leaders from the local rugby community. Players, coaches, match officials, first aiders, team managers, event organisers, and club administrators all came together to share experiences, strengthen networks and inspire change.

With previous Grassroots to Global Forums highlighting the importance of increasing female coaching opportunities, and the direct impact female coaches have on driving female participation at community levels, this was the latest Forum to partner with Gallagher and its High Performance Academy (GHPA); a fully immersive global development and leadership programme that’s enhancing the prominence of female coaches, and increasing the competitiveness of the women’s game.

Founded by World Rugby and Gallagher – with a focus on talent identification, professional support and championing the next generation of international coaches – the Academy develops existing coaching talent, and identifies opportunities for new coaches and women in other high performance roles. Since 2023, 37 female coaches have been supported by the GHPA, which aims to realise a target of 40 percent female coaches at this year’s record-breaking tournament.

ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Series and the GHPA work together towards the common goal of getting more girls and women into rugby coaching, and are integral to World Rugby’s strategic plan to develop opportunities for women at all levels of the game.

As part of the two-day Forum, participants exchanged ideas and created action plans for enhancing gender inclusion within their rugby communities. This included identifying the key drivers and barriers facing women in rugby leadership.

A highlight of the event was the attendance and support of England’s most capped rugby player of all time, Sarah Hunter CBE. Sarah is one of the most experienced players in women’s rugby and, having been part of the inaugural GHPA cohort at WXV 2023, she was ideally placed to lean on her own experiences, and share the wealth of knowledge gained during her transition from Rugby World Cup winning player and captain, to Assistant Coach for the Red Roses.

It was a poignant return to Novocastrians RFC for Sarah, the first rugby club she ever played for. As part of the event, Sarah joined several of the G2G Leaders to deliver a fun and engaging Masterclass, for local girls and young women. This practical, on-pitch rugby session presented an opportunity to apply the leadership skills acquired from the Forum; while inspiring and engaging the next generation of girls in a fun, inclusive, and supportive rugby environment.

"To return to Novocastrians RFC, my first club, to coach and inspire rugby leaders of the future has been a real honour. It was brilliant to see the impact the Forum and masterclass had on these women, and to have played a role in that”, said Sarah Hunter, Gallagher Ambassador and GHPA WXV 2023 alumni.

“I know firsthand how important pathways like the Gallagher High Performance Academy are, in growing women’s rugby. If you can’t see it, you can’t be it; not only do we need to inspire young women and girls to love the game as much as we do, we also need to create these vital opportunities to elevate coaching. We need champions like Gallagher investing in our sport, from grassroots all the way through to the highest level,” she continued.

 “Grassroots to Global has been an incredible initiative, bringing together young leaders in rugby from around the world,” said ChildFund Rugby Co-Director Meg Knight. “The initiative highlights the importance of strong female coaches and role models — not only to get girls into rugby, but to keep them in the game. By building a global network of community leaders, including here in the UK, we’re creating a strong platform for the future of rugby.”

"As Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 approaches, we were delighted to join forces with ChildFund once again, to deliver a powerful masterclass in the North-East of England. Our collaboration has brought together many talented women and given them the platform and tools to develop their experience and presence within the game.

"This masterclass was an important milestone for Gallagher in the run up to the 2025 tournament, underscoring our commitment to advancing women in rugby at both grassroots and international level,” said Gallagher’s Chief Marketing Officer Christopher Mead.

“With Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 fast approaching, it’s inspiring to see the impact that Childfund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Forums are already having, by bringing together such passionate female leaders from the rugby community.

“Driving change on and off the field starts with building strong networks and creating clear pathways for women in coaching and leadership roles. The partnership with Gallagher’s High Performance Academy is helping us to accelerate this progress, and together we are laying the foundations for a more inclusive and competitive women’s game,” said World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby, Sally Horrox.

ChildFund Rugby is World Rugby’s Global Social Impact Partner for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. ChildFund Rugby is championing the power of sport to create lasting, positive change across the globe – impacting lives at every level of the game. Find out more: www.childfundrugby.org

Gallagher is the Official Insurance Partner of Women’s RWC 2025 and WXV. More information on the Gallagher High Performance Academy, can be found here.