- ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Series and the Gallagher High Performance Academy join forces, delivering two-day forum and masterclass for female rugby leaders
- Global programme visits Melbourne, Australia, ahead of Women’s World Cup 2025, as part of World Rugby’s mission to strengthen women’s coaching pathways and increase opportunities for female leaders in rugby
- Shannon Parry – former captain of the Wallaroos squad and now head coach of the Australia A women’s sevens team – joined by more than 20 girls, women and youth leaders, who are actively involved in strengthening and developing the women’s game
- Two-day event held at Melbourne University Rugby Club, as build-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 continues
Held in more than 25 countries, each forum supports the women’s game at local, national and international levels, with a view to driving change and increasing the number of women involved in the sport, both on and off the field.
The Australia Forum was held at Melbourne University Rugby Club and attended by more than 20 young, inspirational female leaders. From players, coaches, match officials, first aiders, team managers, event organisers and club administrators, each of the delegates are deeply entrenched in the local rugby community, and came together to share experiences, strengthen networks, and inspire change.
Grassroots to Global Forums underscore the direct impact that female coaches have on driving female participation at community levels, highlighting the critical importance of increasing female coaching opportunities. Following a similar event held in England in June, this was the latest forum to partner with Gallagher and its High Performance Academy (GHPA) – a fully immersive global development and leadership programme that’s enhancing the prominence of female coaches and increasing the competitiveness of the women’s game – in the build-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Founded by World Rugby and Gallagher – with a focus on talent identification, professional support and championing the next generation of international coaches – the Academy develops existing coaching talent, and identifies opportunities for new coaches and women in other high-performance roles. Since 2023, 43 female coaches have been supported by the GHPA, which aims to realise a target of 40 per cent female coaches at this year’s record-breaking tournament.
ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Series and the GHPA work together towards the common goal of getting more girls and women into rugby coaching, and are integral to World Rugby’s strategic plan to develop opportunities for women at all levels of the game.
As part of the two-day forum, participants exchanged ideas and created action plans for enhancing gender inclusion within their rugby communities. This included identifying the key drivers and barriers facing women in rugby leadership.
A highlight of the event was the surprise attendance and support of former Wallaroos captain, Shannon Parry. The Rio 2016 gold medallist represented Australia in four Women’s Rugby World Cups (2010, 2014, 2017 and 2021) and captained the squad from 2014 until her retirement in 2023. Parry was part of the GHPA during the HSBC SVNS series in 2024, and ideally placed to lean on her experiences and share her wealth of knowledge gained from transitioning from a player to head coach of the Australia A women’s sevens team.
Joining her was one of Australia’s top women’s rugby sevens players Maddison Levi, who was named World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in December 2024 after a fantastic 12 months, which included a record-breaking 14 tries at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Shannon joined the Grassroots to Global leaders in delivering a fun and engaging masterclass, which welcomed local girls and young women in a practical, on-pitch session. This enabled delegates to put into practice the leadership skills developed in the forum, while also inspiring and engaging the next generation of rugby stars in a fun, inclusive and supportive environment.
“It has been a real privilege to come down to Melbourne University Rugby Club to coach and inspire a fantastic group of young women, who I hope are now motivated to be the rugby leaders of the future. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the impact of their participation in the forum and masterclass, and having the opportunity to discuss my own experiences as both a player and a coach”, said Shannon Parry, Gallagher Ambassador and GHPA HSBC SVNS 2024 alumni.
“I have benefited myself from the Gallagher High Performance Academy, and cannot stress enough how important pathways like them are in growing women’s rugby. They are vital in driving awareness and inspiring young women to not only fall in love rugby and want to succeed in it, but also in creating vital opportunities to elevate female coaching. Gallagher knows that to do so, we need to invest from grassroots all the way through to the pinnacle of the sport, and it has been fantastic to stand alongside them here in Melbourne.”
ChildFund Rugby Co-Director Meg Knight said: “This Grassroots to Global Forum wraps up a global series of 32 forums in 29 countries. Data from each of these events will now be looked at to build a global picture of leadership in community rugby around the world. In August, delegates from these countries will come together and advocate to rugby’s decision makers for support to bring, and keep, more women into the game as coaches and role models. Gallagher has played a critical role in making this possible by supporting forums in Canada, England, and now Australia, and uniquely connecting them with the Gallagher High Performance Academy.”
Gallagher’s Chief Marketing Officer Christopher Mead added: “Gallagher works with ChildFund to deliver masterclasses that help to elevate women through the game of rugby. Our partnership has given many talented women the opportunity and tools to expand their experience and elevate the game. This masterclass was an important milestone for Gallagher in the run up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 tournament, continuing our commitment to advancing women in rugby at the grassroots and international levels.”
“With Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 fast approaching, it’s inspiring to see the impact that ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Forums are already having, by bringing together such passionate female leaders from the rugby community.”
World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby, Sally Horrox said: “Driving change on and off the field starts with building strong networks and creating clear pathways for women in coaching and leadership roles. The partnership with Gallagher’s High Performance Academy is helping us to accelerate this progress, and together we are laying the foundations for a more inclusive and competitive women’s game.”
ChildFund Rugby is World Rugby’s Global Social Impact Partner for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. ChildFund Rugby is championing the power of sport to create lasting, positive change across the globe, impacting lives at every level of the game. Find out more at www.childfundrugby.org.
Gallagher is the Official Insurance Partner of Women’s RWC 2025 and WXV. More information on the Gallagher High Performance Academy, can be found here.