RFU introduce toolkit to combat sexism and misogyny at community clubs

The Rugby Football Union have partnered with Women in Sport to launch a landmark anti-sexism and misogyny policy to make the sport more inclusive for women’s and girls.

Research conducted by the two parties, which included the feedback of over 600 volunteers associated with community clubs in England, have highlighted the scale of sexism and misogyny in the sport at grassroots level.

Quantitative and qualitative evidence gathered from volunteers across the 2025/26 season found that 83 per cent of female respondents had experienced sexism, while a quarter of female match officials reported that they had frequently experienced or witnessed sexist behaviour.

A lack of confidence to support people experiencing sexism and misogyny was also highlighted, with 79 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men believing that more women are needed in leadership roles across rugby.

These findings come nine months after England won Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 against Canada at Allianz Stadium in front of a world-record crowd for a standalone women’s rugby Test match.

To combat these numbers, the RFU have launched a first-of-its-kind in major British sport Sexism and Misogyny Policy, which established the responsibilities of the RFU, constituent bodies, clubs and volunteers to help address sexism and misogyny with the introduction of clear processes for reporting, investigating and sanctioning incidents.

Additionally, the RFU have collaborated with Women in Sport to develop a ‘Women and Girls Toolkit’. Aimed at every stakeholder in the grassroots game, the toolkit provides clubs and societies with a practical guide and resources to identify and address sexism to develop more inclusive cultures at clubs.

The RFU have also confirmed that Women in Sport will provide research, insight and advice to support the delivery and future policies of the governing body’s Every Rose: Our Time strategy introduced after the success of John Mitchell’s Red Roses at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 success.

Bill Sweeney, RFU CEO, said: “We have seen increasing levels of sexism and misogyny across society and, unfortunately, rugby is not immune to these issues. As a sport it is right for us to be clear that there is no place for discrimination of any kind, including sexism and misogyny, in our game.

“The research conducted with Women in Sport shows that we still have some way to go, but it also shows there is a strong appetite across the rugby community to tackle the problem and ensure everyone feels welcome.

“These measures are about setting clear expectations, supporting clubs and creating lasting cultural change across the game.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with the community game and with experts like Women in Sport to ensure rugby is the best sport for women and girls in England.”

Stephanie Hillborne OBE, Women in Sport CEO, said: “Women and girls should never have to accept misogyny or sexism as part of playing, volunteering or working in the sport they love. Our research shows that misogyny and sexism is not uncommon across the community game, limiting participation and preventing women and girls from reaching their full potential.

“For the past 18 months, we’ve worked closely with the RFU to understand the challenges, and crucially, how to address them. It’s encouraging to see this evidence translated into a dedicated policy, practical resources and a commitment to culture change. We need to ensure women and girls feel equal, safe, valued and respected in rugby.”

“Sport has a unique opportunity to lead the way in tackling misogyny and sexism in wider society. It reaches millions of people, shapes attitudes and sets expectations about what behaviour is acceptable. When governing bodies take bold action, they don’t just make sport better, they help drive change across society. We hope this partnership inspires others to follow.”

In their release, the RFU confirmed that there will be a review of the RFU Council Code, led by outgoing RFU President Deborah Griffin, and that two new women’s and girls’ representatives from Premiership Women’s Rugby will join the RFU Council.

These findings from the RFU have come shortly after World Rugby published findings that 70 per cent of elite female players and match officials are likelier to receive online abuse than their male counterparts.

The Social Media Protection Service, launched to protect and support players and match officials, was World Rugby’s most ambitious online safeguarding programme and saw eight cases referred to law enforcement. The programme has continued to cover Emirates World Rugby Match Officials this season.

Following Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the RFU unveiled Every Rose: Our Time, which aimed to see 100,00 women and girls playing rugby by 2030, along with performance and revenue goals across the same time period.

Through the introduction of a programme directly targeted at combatting increased reports of sexism and misogyny at community clubs, the long-term health of women’s and girls rugby can benefit.

Genevieve Shore, PWR Executive Chair, said: “This is an important step in the fight against misogyny, and we are pleased with the hard work the RFU has put into establishing this policy for the whole game. This gives rugby a new platform from which to improve the experience of women and girls at all levels of our game.

Now, it is crucial that this policy is implemented thoroughly across the whole country and at every level. We will collaborate closely with the RFU and other stakeholders to ensure that this work is done over the coming weeks, months and years. Sexism and misogyny are a stain on society, and it is far beyond time that they are rooted out of our sport.”

Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of PREM Rugby, said: “There is simply no place for sexism or misogyny in our sport. We welcome the RFU’s leadership on this important issue and fully endorse the direction of the policy.

“At PREM Rugby, we believe the game is strongest when everyone feels they belong. We are committed to playing our part in ensuring that all women and girls connected to the league and our clubs have a positive experience and feel safe, respected and valued.”