Under the Posts – Aug 24-30 starts with the Canterbury fail in regards to women’s rugby jerseys, IGR tells stories from transgender rugby athletes, a women’s rugby injury project, 9 player features & 3 medias.
Featured Women’s Rugby News
Canterbury came under fire this week as they released the new Ireland jerseys for their men and women. Sounds pretty benign, right? Almost, but they featured three Ireland players and then slapped the women’s jerseys on female models. The internet went crazy and within days, Canterbury had pledged (not apologized) to do better.
They should do better including redoing the photoshoot ASAP and should consider further steps like sponsoring a women’s competition like the Six Nations…
Weekly Women’s Rugby News
It was a big week for women’s rugby news including IGR sharing story after story of transgender rugby athletes, the launch of a women’s rugby research project, Asia Rugby checks in on Lebanon rugby, Danielle Waterman sees an opportunity for women’s rugby to complement men’s fixtures, Mais Khoury wants more female rugby coaches in Jordan and RAN concludes their Online Women’s Forum.
Women’s Rugby Player Features
- Wasps’ Giselle Mather talks with World Rugby about adapting her coaching during COVID-19
- Ireland’s Sarahjane Belton was recently awarded the Dublin City University (DCU) President’s Award
- USA’s Akalaini “Bui” Baravilala has retired from International rugby
- France’s Assa Koita has also retired from International rugby
- Ireland’s Hannah Tyrrell speaks with RSVP Live about overcoming an eating disorder, self harm and depression
- England’s Jodie Ounsley is featured by Rugby Journal
- Rugby Québec has sent 19 of its best players to French clubs for the 2020-21 season
- Australia’s Kirby Sefo has started a program to help young women overcome financial and social challenges
- St. Lucia’s Chantel John speaks to RAN about her journey as an aspiring referee, an accomplished player and a Police Officer on the Island during the time of Covid-19
Women’s Rugby Media/Podcasts/Videos
- Worcester’s Jemima Moss on Worcester Warriors podcast
- USA’s Kristi Kirshe & Ilona Maher are featured on the Chasing Eagles podcast
- Brazil’s Tautahi Samuel and Aristide Guerriero talk to Rugby Hive about qualifying for the Olympics
Join Us
Can’t wait a week? Join us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram as we will be posting daily. We have a bit more dialogue on Twitter if you’d like to join in.
https://twitter.com/FlorenceW94/status/1297155751635492865
You say #IAmEnough, but you are all so much better than that!
— Matt Merritt (@MattMerritt) August 28, 2020
I had to throw down a few words, both to capture a sense of what has been achieved but also to reaffirm my commitment to be an active ally, not a passive supporterhttps://t.co/4QwKuCVbz5 pic.twitter.com/YwGISOuNJS
Our featured women’s rugby news this week is all about jerseys. Specifically women’s jerseys that you can purchase. There have been discussions on the lack of women’s rugby jerseys, shorts and such for years but few have gained traction for change. That changed this week when Ireland debuted their new Canterbury jerseys with male rugby players and female models.
Florence Williams led the charge and it went viral though the #IAmEnough hashtag. It eventually led to a response from Canterbury (but no apology) that pledge to do better.
Great, but let’s see them put their money where their mouth is. Organize a new photoshoot with Ireland women rugby players. Sure that might be tough to do during a pandemic but they got the male rugby players somehow. Then do more…one hint would be to sponsor the women’s Six Nations, Super Series or any of the top women’s competitions.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1297941865371783174
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1299346151687192576
“Any exclusionary policy in women’s sport hurts all women.
— Athlete Ally (@AthleteAlly) August 24, 2020
As an injury prevention researcher, we know that preventing injury is more about skill/technique training and conditioning than anything else." - @shereebekker #TackleTransphobia https://t.co/5gqdi1Jfrz
IGR has been sharing stories of transgender women who are rugby athletes in stories, podcast episodes and on our social media platforms. One article we’d like to feature is on Verity Smith, one of the only transgender athletes at the recent World Rugby Forum.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298047493448572935
The largest ever women-specific rugby injury research project has been launched by a senior and highly experienced team of researchers and practitioners from across the world of sports science and medicine.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298002146407993346
Lebanon was rocked by an explosion in early August and this was on top of the ongoing pandemic. Asia Rugby spoke with Lebanon Rugby CEO Sol Mokdad to understand how it’s affecting them.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1299029091568553985
England’s Danielle Waterman believes the coronavirus pandemic has presented women’s rugby with a unique opportunity to “complement” the men’s game rather than compete with it in the future. It may allow for a women’s global calendar where matches aren’t pitted head to head against men’s fixtures.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1297896630344187908
World Rugby talks to Mais Khoury, the 30-year-old Jordan international, who has grand plans for the women’s game in the Middle Eastern nation.
https://twitter.com/RugbyAmericasN/status/1299011714009227265
https://twitter.com/RugbyAmericasN/status/1299006268317863938
Rugby Americas North concluded their Online Women’s Forum with presentations from Regional Development Manager Erin Kennedy and Jamaica’s Tamara Dixon.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298259117140611073
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298727012874555392
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1299134642629627912
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298304202754621440
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298772297214500866
https://twitter.com/JournalRugby/status/1299228869786992642
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298364551558238210
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1298983663879589888
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1300221857862504450
https://twitter.com/WorcsWarriorsW/status/1297965852365643777
https://twitter.com/USARugby/status/1298279695377563650
https://twitter.com/rugbyhive/status/1298793621270003715