Women in Rugby Careers Programme

 Applications for the 2026 Women in Rugby Careers Programme are now open!

This programme is a World Rugby global initiative designed to build confidence, capabilities and communities of practice in order to support women working or volunteering in rugby to progress their careers in their chosen field within the sport.

This Programme aims to:

• Develop key human skills required to succeed in rugby careers

• Provide tools for self-reflection and self-discovery

• Build a supportive Women in Rugby network

• Facilitate opportunities to share knowledge, experiences and learnings, from leading women in rugby and sports as well as peers

  
  

The Programme consists of:

• 7 interactive virtual webinars, delivered between April and November 2026

• Leading women from rugby and other sports will be invited to share knowledge and lived experiences on key topics:

  • Self-awareness and transferable skills

  • Communicating with confidence

  • Building your network

  • Working with others: Relationship management and stakeholder engagement

  • Influencing others and negotiation skills

  • Strategic thinking

Who the programme is for:

Please apply if:

• You are a woman working or volunteering in rugby

• You have a minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in rugby to demonstrate commitment and investment in the sport

• You have aspirations to progress your career within the rugby ecosystem

• You have access to your own IT equipment and to internet/ wi-fi to attend online Zoom webinars (e.g. laptop, phone, tablet)

  
  

NB: Please note that this programme is not intended for women who already hold senior leadership positions in rugby (e.g. CEO, President, Board Member). The content of the sessions will be pitched at participants who are earlier on in their career journey.

Webinars Dates and Subjects:

The webinars will take place monthly on a Wednesday, first at 7.30am GMT and again at 4.00pm GMT to accommodate the various time zones.

Please make sure that you are available for these dates before applying to the programme:

• Wed 8th April

• Wed 6th May

• Wed 3rd June

• Wed 8th July

• Wed 9th September

• Wed 7th October

• Wed 4th November

  
  

We are delighted that you wish to apply. Please note that applications close on the 26th February 2026. We will then contact you by the middle of March to inform you whether your application has been successful or not.

Please email wircareers@worldrugby.org if you have any questions.

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