Branded
MATTA is a sports marketing agency from London. It was engaged in branding the England side as the Red Roses, then it helped give a face to the Premiership Women’s League (PWR). Now it has helped produce the names and logos of the six Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) franchises in the States.
Behind MATTA stands the familiar figure of Flo Williams (Wales), previously of Loughborough Lightning, Wasps and Saracens.
Westward ho!
Eagles who have been playing for PWR clubs in England are now choosing to operate in the Women’s Elite Rugby enterprise. The latest to return home is Catie Benson of Sale Sharks, who was listed in the Boston Banshees roster. Rachel Johnson, ex-Exeter Chiefs and now Denver Onyx, is an earlier example.
By a strange coincidence WER will kick off on the same day as the Six Nations, 22 March. The New York Exiles face the Boston Banshees. In one respect the two tournaments could not be more different: While a few million eyes will be fixed on the well-established 6N, it’s the WER that may prove a greater game-changer.
The Perfect Diet
In the days of the English Premier 15s we were invited to believe that the potato crisp was the shortest route to health and fitness. Award winners were presented with mega-packets of Tyrrells’ best. Nowadays, with the advent of the Six Nations, our dietician has switched her attention to Guinness (the sponsors) and nicotine (the launch was held at Tobacco Dock Wapping. Something to suit every taste.
On International Women’s Day, who’s in Charge?
World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby is Sally Horrox. Three days ago WR announced “a bespoke programme designed to advance the global development of women in rugby”. One aim is to “to nurture existing coaching talent and provide meaningful professional development opportunities”.
Are more women taking charge of the game, as World Rugby wishes? Hardly, the trouble being that it isn’t WR that makes the individual choices. There is the odd bright light:
Women’s Elite Rugby (USA) – President is Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf; 4/6 female head coaches.
Rugby Canada Board of Directors: Kathleen McGinn is Chair, plus two women and five men.
But:
World Rugby: 12 people sit on the Executive Council, including five women; the Chair is male. Nine people sit on the Womens High Performance Rugby Committee (one position vacant). Two are men; the Chair is Melodie Robinson (NZ).
Six Nations overall i/c: Tom Harrison; newly created position, Chief of Staff, held by Hannah Bowe since 2023.
6N head coaches: one woman (Gaëlle Mignot) alongside six men.
It’s nearly five years since WR launched its Women Coaching Rugby Toolkit.
Rugby Australia: the Chair and CEO are male; three of the remaining board members are women.
Suoer W (Australia): all four head coaches are men.
Premier Women’s Rugby (England): Executive Chair, Genevieve Shore.
PWR club coaches: currently eight men and one vacancy (Leicester Tigers). No women; five have been sacked.
RFU Executive Directors: two women among eight
The Irish RFU has 25 committee members of whom eight are women; Su Carty is lead representative to World Rugby.
The NZR board has three women alongside five men; the President and Vice-President are both male.None of the Black Ferns’ coaches is female.
Super Aupiki (NZ): three of four head coaches are male.
There are nine members of the SRU board (Scotland); of them four are female.
USA Governance: 3/10 are women; the Chair is male.
WRU: the Chair is male, the CEO is female; of the remaining ten board members four are female.
Head coaches of the female top ten world ranking nations: two women (Mignot and Lesley Mckenzie (Japan)) alongside nine men.
The Managing Director of the World Cup 2025 is Sarah Massey.
Refereeing
The position is mixed. On the one hand major competitions like RWC 2025, the Six Nations and the Pacific Four are officiated entirely by women. But below that level it’s mostly men who take charge.
