O2, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Women’s Sport Trust (WST) are today launching the UK’s first wearable report – an exclusive five-piece fashion collection created by Red Rose and Olympian rugby player, Ellie Kildunne accompanied by Katherine Pickup, and her creative platform 5022. Featuring findings from a new report published today, the collection is designed to both hero the achievements of women in rugby and tackle the gender awareness gap that still exists in the sport today. 

New findings from the WST report, co-funded by O2 and the RFU, reveals that the gender awareness gap in rugby reduced by 10% in the last year. However, while audiences for the women’s game are at an all-time high, the gap still sits at 15% showing that there is still work to be done to increase player visibility and audience engagement.

The limited edition, five-piece fashion collection features a range of custom graphic tees and a rugby jersey, each incorporating key findings from the report in a creative and symbolic way.

Key findings from the report include:

• Awareness of the women’s team is now just 15% less than the men, down from 25% in 2023.
• Although the Red Roses have won the past six consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations tournaments, 63% of rugby union fans aren’t yet able to name a player on the England’s women’s team.
• The Guinness Women’s Six Nations in 2024 was the most viewed on record with 8.1m tuning in for three minutes or more (33% more than in 2023).
• The popularity of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, amongst 18–24-year-old avid fans has risen from 19% to 24% year-on-year.
• Amongst National Representatives, association of the Red Roses brand with the England Women’s Rugby Union team has risen from 20% to 24%.

 The Collection 

The hero piece of the collection is a unique retro-style rugby jersey with embroidered symbols that represent the progress being made in women’s rugby.  It includes abstract visualisations of lineouts, rucks, and the movement of the ball, whilst shining a light on the Red Roses making their mark on the sport.

The t-shirts are all inspired by different elements of the report highlights. Some pieces represent the delineation of rugby and showcase the growth and change that is in motion. Others shine a light on the growing presence of women’s rugby in media and the progress being made in closing the gender awareness gap. All pieces put the Red Roses’ achievements front and centre and outline positive changes in the sport that audiences want to see – particularly those aged 18–24-years old, at whom this collection is aimed.

Get Involved 

All pieces in the collection include a scannable QR code which links wearers of the collection to an educational infographic that shares key aspects of the report and actions that fans can take to help close the gender awareness gap – from attending a match day to engaging with the Red Roses on socials and more.

Users will also be able to celebrate how far the women’s game has come with the design featuring important milestones including record breaking matchday crowds, TV audiences and fan growth.

Ellie Kildunne, Red Roses Player and founder of 5022, said: “To be part of the creation of the UK’s first wearable report in partnership with O2 has been a real moment of personal and professional importance to me.

“I am so proud of everything the Red Roses have achieved, and I hope that comes through in this collection. The stats from the report are enlightening and highlight the reality for me and women in rugby today. Now is the time for us to talk about these facts and bring about positive change – we can’t and mustn’t stop having these tough conversations.”

Gareth Griffiths, Director, Partnerships and Sponsorships at Virgin Media O2, said: “O2 has supported England Rugby for 29 years and not simply as a shirt sponsor – we want to help drive positive change in the sport and gender parity is at the top of our priority list. Sometimes you have to make a statement to be heard and that’s exactly what this fashion collection does. We will never stop calling on fans to join us in stepping up for the Red Roses. Support this world-class team by following them online, Wearing the Rose and joining us to cheer on the Red Roses at Allianz Stadium this month.”

Alex Teasdale, RFU Women’s Game Director, said: “One of the elements that really stands out for me, is where this campaign actually came from. A key demographic from the report was a growing fanbase within Gen Z. We know that 18-24 year olds are passionate about change, and they tap into modern influences such as fashion and design to tell their stories. We also know Gen Z value diversity and are focussed on intersectionality, and whilst we’re talking about visibility of women in this report, we need to recognise women aren’t a homogenous group and that we still have a way to go in diversifying the game. There is a huge opportunity ahead to keep reaching audiences from all backgrounds.”

Tammy Parlour, CEO and co-founder of Women’s Sport Trust, said: “Information is power so it’s helpful to create advocacy amongst fans so they can understand and share the success of women’s rugby.  That is why promoting the highlights of this research is important. The report tells us that 41% of avid Red Roses fans want to see players’ interests outside of rugby union, so to use Ellie’s clear skill and passion for fashion to bring this data to life is brilliant.  Hopefully it will capture the imagination of both new and existing fans of women’s rugby.”

A limited number of collection pieces are available exclusively for O2 and Virgin Media broadband customers, via the Priority from O2 on Monday 9th September.

To see the Red Roses in action, fans can purchase a ticket here to watch their upcoming match against New Zealand (the Black Ferns) on Saturday 14th September at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

With thanks to the RFU

Alice Masterman (Photo: Women’s Sport Trust)

Masterman, who is campaigning a 49erFX for Paris 2024 alongside Bella Fellows, has teamed up with a host of sports stars including international footballers Nikita Parris and Caroline Weir, five-time Olympic champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft and England rugby league player Jodie Cunningham.

The programme, named ‘Unlocked’, is now in its second year and aims to help athletes accelerate change across the sports industry. Representing 27 different sports and with athletes at different points in their elite careers, the group provides a unique, diverse and powerful insight into the challenges and opportunities that exist in women’s sport, based on those who sit at the heart of it.

“I’m really excited to be part of ‘Unlocked’ by the Women’s Sport Trust,” said Masterman, 25, from Guildford in Surrey. “It’s a great initiative to tackle the lack of diversity in sport by sharing experiences with athletes from 27 sports. I applied for the programme for a number of reasons. I do a lot of coaching when I’m not sailing and I want to inspire younger sailors, especially girls, to continue sailing despite barriers they may face. The Covid-19 pandemic has especially made that hard and I want to make sure there is no one left behind.

“It’s also a great opportunity to meet like minded athletes from 27 other sports, and learn how other female athletes manage their careers and achieve amazing things. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible and be able drive change for other female sailors and young people.”

Tammy Parlour MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of The Women’s Sport Trust, added: “It has been a challenging year for many, but as we come out of Covid-19, there is no better time to turbo-charge our effort and continue to unlock the value of women’s sport. We believe the best way to do this is by supporting these elite women and connecting them together. Individually they are strong advocates for change but together they are unstoppable.”

Other athletes in the group include England netballer and Commonwealth gold medallist Kadeen Corbin, England rugby union prop Shaunagh Brown, rowing Paralympic champion Lauren Rowles and Team GB hockey player Sarah Evans.

As part of the Unlocked group the athletes will access experts from across the sport, business and media worlds. The Women’s Sport Trust hold workshops and opportunities to hear from industry insiders, as well as provide athletes with their own ‘activator’. The activators are leaders in their field who will share their connections and experience to help the sportswomen tackle the issues and areas they feel passionate about.

Working with the other athletes in the Unlocked group will create a lasting network and a chance to learn from others who face similar challenges and opportunities. Virtual hangouts with the group and The Women’s Sport Trust team are also a valuable source of support and inspiration.

Last year’s Unlocked programme proved to be a gamechanger in empowering athletes, with four of the group now taking positions on sporting boards including two-time Olympian swimmer Lizzie Simmons who has recently been selected as the new Chair of the British Olympic Association’s (BOA) Athlete’s Commission and GB Paralympian Vanessa Wallace who has joined Sporting Equals as a Trustee.

To celebrate the launch of Unlocked, The Women’s Sport Trust has released a short film featuring a poem by Commonwealth champion boxer Stacey Copeland. Copeland took part in the programme last year and was inspired to write about her experience. The poem, ‘Our Time’ charts the rise of women’s sport and the importance of women coming together to inspire change.

Courtesy of the RYA

Individual Sporting Role Model award presented to professional boxer Stacey Copeland Photo: Steven Paston/PA Wire

Women’s Sport Trust has announced the winners of this year’s Women’s Sport Trust #BeAGameChanger Awards, celebrating the visionaries and game changers driving the future of women’s sport.

A range of individuals, organisations and initiatives were honoured at the event which took place last night at Troxy, East London.

The award for Individual Sporting Role Model which shines a light on an elite athlete who has used their influence to drive forward women’s sport was presented to footballer turned professional boxer Stacey Copeland. As one of one of only six professional female boxers in the UK, she is passionate about both challenging inequality and celebrating success of women in sport.

Team Sporting Role Model was awarded to the World Cup winning England women’s cricket team. Their win, in front of a sell-out crowd and 1.1 million UK TV viewers, was a watershed moment for the sport, inspiring a whole new generation of players and fans.

The England team celebrate winning the World Cup at Lord’s. Photo ECB

As well as recognising athletes and teams driving forward women’s sport, the #BeAGameChanger Awards also celebrates other individuals, organisations and initiatives that have had a significant impact. Categories include: Ambassador of Women’s Sport; National Governing Body of the Year; Brand / Sponsor Partnership of the Year; Inspiring Initiative – National and Local; Media Initiative of the Year; and Imagery of the Year.

Ambassador of Women’s Sport was awarded to double Olympian and Commonwealth gold and silver medallist and now the most senior black woman in athletics administration Lorna Boothe.

National Governing Body of the Year was awarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). In 2017, the ECB made huge strides to make cricket a sport for all.

The Brand / Sponsor Partnership of the Year award which recognises the vital role of investment in raising the profile and increasing the impact of women’s sport was awarded to Investec’s partnership with GB and England Women’s Hockey.

The Inspiring Initiative categories recognises projects that have had a significant impact on progressing women’s sport at both a national and a local level. This year’s National Inspiring Initiative award was presented to England Rugby’s Inner Warrior campaign which aims to encourage more female players into rugby.

The Crawley Old Girls (COGS) Photo:
James Boardman / TELEPHOTO IMAGES

The Local Inspiring Initiative was presented to Crawley Old Girls (COGs) which aims to enable older women to learn to play football.

An award for Outstanding Contribution to Women’s Sport, chosen by Women’s Sport Trust, was presented to former England captain and founding member of the Rugby Football Union for Women Carol Isherwood.

Jo Bostock, Co-founder and Joint CEO of the Women’s Sport Trust commented “Why is the Women’s Sport Trust so committed to running the #BeAGameChanger Awards? Because compelling stories about the trailblazers need to be told. They set the pace and show what’s possible. Most importantly they stimulate other brands, sport and the media to step up and take action. Building this momentum will ensure the future of women’s sport.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

Sporting Role Model – Individual

• Stacey Copeland

Sporting Role Model – Team

• England Women’s Cricket Team

Ambassador of Women’s Sport

• Lorna Boothe

National Governing Body of the Year

• England and Wales Cricket Board

Brand / Sponsor Partnership of the Year

• Investec is ‘Principal Partner of GB and England Women’s Hockey’

Inspiring Initiative – National

• England Rugby’s Inner Warrior campaign 

Inspiring Initiative – Local

• Crawley Old Girls (COGs) 

Media Initiative of the Year

• The Tough Girl Podcast 

Imagery of the Year

• Standing in the Light

Courtesy of the Women’s Sport Trust via We are Disrupt

England Rugby also announced today that over 30,000 women and girls are now regularly playing club rugby (double the number playing just four years ago), and England Rugby will work with the Women’s Sport Trust on Onside to utilise the support of the rugby community, particularly male players, to encourage support for women across the game.

RFU Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Brown, commented “We’re delighted to partner with the Women’s Sport Trust on the Onside campaign, and to get more men involved in championing women’s rugby. From the success of the Red Roses to the growing participation of women and girls in the grassroots game, women are integral to our sport and ultimately, great rugby is great rugby to be enjoyed by all.”

Women’s Sport Trust Co-Founder and Joint CEO, Tammy Parlour, commented “In recent years, England Rugby has taken significant steps to support the development of the women’s game, we are excited to partner with them on the Onside campaign to build on this, getting more men involved in championing women’s rugby, at every level. We hope to see more male players, coaches, support staff and senior leaders publicly supporting the women’s game, making it clear that great rugby is great rugby whether it’s played by men or women.”

Increasing women and girls’ participation in rugby is integral to the RFU’s overarching Strategic Plan and funding agreement with Sport England, and a new, four year women and girls action plan to drive participation was launched in November 2017. The goals of the Onside campaign are closely linked with this and are as follows:

• To engage men and boys as role models, actively and visibly supporting women’s sport.
• To increase the audience for women’s sport – including growth for particular teams, clubs, sports and brands.
• To generate positive messages that indirectly encourage women / girls to engage with sport.
• To drive more sponsorship into women’s sport through increased attention.
• To increase the media coverage of women’s sport through increased attention.

The Onside campaign will be driven in partnership by England Rugby and the Women’s Sport Trust, via their networks, influencers, digital, social and CRM channels. Men and women, players and fans alike are encouraged to join the conversation using the hashtag – #Onside.

Report courtesy of the RFU