The RFU has announced a landmark partnership with the Women in Sport charity, becoming the first major British sport to launch a standalone anti-sexism and misogyny policy, as part of a comprehensive programme to make rugby safer and more inclusive for women and girls.
The announcement follows new research conducted in partnership with Women in Sport, involving more than 600 volunteers from across the community game.
The findings highlight the scale of sexism and misogyny in community rugby and will inform a package of measures designed to drive lasting cultural change at every level of the game.
Rugby is experiencing significant growth, particularly in the women’s and girls’ game, alongside increasing expectations around safeguarding and inclusion.
The RFU’s world-leading investment in women’s rugby has driven strong participation growth in the community game and sustained success at elite level. This investment is underpinned by the Every Rose strategy, which aims to reach 100,000 active female players by 2030.
As more women and girls choose rugby, it is essential that the culture of the game enables them to feel safe, respected and able to thrive. The research shows there is more work to do to ensure that experience is consistent across community rugby.
This, combined with an increase in reported incidents of sexism and misogyny in the community game reflect a wider societal issue that undermines rugby’s core values and risks affecting the long-term health of the game in England.
The RFU is committed to creating environments where women and girls feel welcome, and sexism and misogyny is challenged at every level of the game.
Volunteer research with Women in Sport
Throughout the 2025/26 season, the RFU partnered with Women in Sport to examine experiences of sexism and misogyny in the community game. The research gathered quantitative and qualitative evidence from over 600 volunteers, including club administrators, match officials, players and coaches.
The findings show that sexism and misogyny remain a cause for concern across the game.
83% of female respondents said they had experienced sexism, while a quarter of female match officials reported frequently witnessing or experiencing sexist behaviour.
The research also found that the biggest barrier preventing people from supporting those experiencing sexism and misogyny was a lack of confidence in challenging inappropriate attitudes and behaviours among their peers, highlighting the need to empower allies to take action.
At the same time, the research found strong support for further change, with 79% of women and 66% of men believing more women are needed in leadership roles across rugby.
The RFU will work with the community game to provide clubs and constituent bodies with the guidance, tools and resources needed to create safer, more inclusive environments where women and girls feel welcome and respected.
Anti-Sexism and Misogyny Policy
The RFU is introducing a standalone Sexism and Misogyny Policy becoming the first major British sport to do so.
It sets out the responsibilities of the RFU, constituent bodies, clubs and volunteers in preventing and addressing sexism and misogyny, including clear processes for reporting, investigating and sanctioning incidents to ensure consistency across the game.
The policy will apply across the sport, from community clubs through to the professional game.
Women and Girls Toolkit
Alongside the new policy, the RFU has worked with Women in Sport and the community game to develop a Women and Girls Toolkit.
The toolkit will provide clubs and societies with practical guidance and resources to identify and address misogyny and sexism while helping to build more inclusive club cultures.
It is aimed at everyone involved in community rugby, including club leadership, volunteers, coaches, match officials and players. Over the coming months, the RFU will deliver webinars and learning opportunities to help clubs implement the new measures ahead of the 2026/27 season.
RFU Council Code of Conduct review
Following recent high-profile incidents, the RFU Council has also announced a review of its Code of Conduct, which sets the standards against which incidents of misconduct, including sexism and misogyny, are considered. The review will be led by outgoing RFU President Deborah Griffin, alongside RFU Council members and independent contributors including Maggie Alphonsi. It will examine all aspects of the Code of Conduct and make recommendations to Council later this year, including sanctions and thresholds for interventionIncreasing representation on the RFU Council
Following June’s RFU Council AGM, two new women’s and girls’ representatives from Premiership Women’s Rugby and the wider women’s game will join the Council, ensuring that women and girls at every level of the game are better represented in decision-making.Wider partnership with Women in Sport
Following the success of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which saw the Red Roses lift the trophy in front of record crowds, the RFU has partnered with Women in Sport to accelerate the continued growth of women’s and girls’ rugby in England. The RFU has set ambitious goals through its Every Rose: Our Time strategy, and this partnership will help ensure every woman and girl can discover the joy of rugby in a safe, supportive environment. Women in Sport will provide research, insight and expert advice to support delivery of the strategy, inform future policy development and help evaluate progress towards creating a more inclusive game.
Reaction
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 Hilborne 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.”
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.”
