● How To Guide — Careers in Rugby
How To Work In
Women’s Rugby
What jobs actually exist in the women’s game, the growth roles unique to women’s rugby, real examples of women who’ve reached the top of coaching, and how the professional and semi-professional structures compare across the world’s top 20 rugby union and top 20 rugby league nations.
5 trailblazer profiles
Union + League both codes
10 FAQs answered
The Job Roles
Jobs in women’s rugby
Some roles in women’s rugby are identical to the men’s game — physio, S&C coach, analyst, marketer. But the rapid growth of the women’s game over the last decade has also created a distinct set of job titles that exist specifically to build the women’s and girls’ side of the sport.
Playing & coaching
- Professional / Contracted Player — a fast-growing route as top-tier leagues professionalise.
- Head of Women’s Rugby — an emerging club-level role overseeing an entire women’s programme, from academy to first team.
- Women’s Section Head Coach / Assistant Coach — leads a club’s women’s team, from grassroots through to semi-professional level.
- Women’s Pathway / Academy Coach — develops age-grade and development-squad players before they reach senior level.
Growth & development (women’s-specific)
- Player Growth Officer (Women & Girls) — increases participation at grassroots level.
- Player Pipeline Officer (Women & Girls) — builds the talent pathway from grassroots to elite level.
- Growth Activator / Competitions Activator (Women & Girls) — runs events, competitions and outreach to grow the game locally.
- Women’s & Girls’ Rugby Development Officer — the general-purpose title used by most national unions for this work.
Commercial & operations (women’s-competition-specific)
- Director / VP of Business Development — dedicated commercial roles for a women’s competition or franchise, as seen in the US’s Women’s Elite Rugby league.
- Head of Player Systems and Development (Women) — oversees the whole performance pathway for a national union’s women’s programme.
- Community & Partnerships roles — build a women’s team or league’s local fanbase, sponsorships and outreach specifically.
Medical, science & performance
Job titles here are the same as the men’s game (see our Medical & Healthcare guide and S&C guide), but a growing number of roles specifically look for experience in female athlete health — training informed by the menstrual cycle, bone health and RED-S awareness — as a distinct and valued specialism.
Real Examples
Women who’ve reached the top of coaching
One of the clearest routes to the top coaching jobs in women’s rugby has been through playing first. Here are five real examples — all former internationals who moved into coaching and reached some of the biggest jobs in the women’s game.
Jo Yapp
Head Coach, British & Irish Lions Women (from 2027)
A 70-cap England international who represented the Red Roses at three Women’s Rugby World Cups, Yapp moved into coaching via England U20s Women, Worcester Warriors Women and the Barbarians, then became Australia’s first-ever full-time women’s head coach (the Wallaroos), leading them to the 2025 Rugby World Cup. In 2026 she was appointed head coach of the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women’s team, ahead of their 2027 series in New Zealand.
Ex-player: Yes — 70-cap England international
Giselle Mather
Head Coach, Great Britain Women’s Sevens (HSBC SVNS)
Capped for England as its 35th “Red Rose,” Mather became the first female coach to earn RFU Level 3 and 4 coaching badges, and the first woman to hold a full-time coaching position at a Premiership Rugby club when she joined London Irish’s academy in 2008. She went on to lead Wasps and Trailfinders Women before taking charge of Great Britain’s women’s sevens programme.
Ex-player: Yes — capped England international
Emilie Bydwell
Head Coach, USA Women’s Rugby Sevens
A USA international at the 2010 and 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cups, Bydwell became USA Rugby’s Director of Women’s High Performance before being named head coach of the USA women’s sevens team in 2021. She led the USA to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics — the first medal ever won by a USA rugby team, and the first female head coach to lead any team to an Olympic rugby medal.
Ex-player: Yes — two-time USA World Cup player
Susie Appleby
Former Head Coach, Exeter Chiefs Women (PWR)
Appleby represented England at the 1998 and 2002 Women’s Rugby World Cups before moving into coaching, taking charge of Gloucester-Hartpury and then Exeter Chiefs Women in England’s professional Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) competition from 2019 to 2025.
Ex-player: Yes — England international
Lois Forsell
Head Coach, Leeds Rhinos Women (rugby league)
A former England and Yorkshire representative who played hooker for Bradford Bulls Women and Leeds Rhinos Women in the RFL Women’s Super League, Forsell was appointed Leeds Rhinos Women’s head coach in February 2020 — a rugby league example of the same playing-to-coaching pathway seen across the union game.
Ex-player: Yes — England & Yorkshire representative
These are five real, verifiable examples as of publication — not the only path to the top, but a clear illustration that playing experience is a genuine route into the sport’s biggest coaching jobs for women.
The Route In
How to get a job in women’s rugby
-
1
Decide whether you want a women’s-specific role or a general rugby role
Some jobs (growth officer, pathway/pipeline officer) exist specifically to build the women’s and girls’ game. Others (physio, analyst, marketer) are general rugby roles that happen to sit within a women’s programme.
-
2
Playing experience helps, but isn’t essential
As the five examples above show, a playing background is a genuine and common route into top coaching jobs — but growth, commercial, medical and admin roles in women’s rugby don’t require it at all.
-
3
Get relevant coaching or sector qualifications
For coaching roles, the same national union coaching badge pathway applies as in the men’s game (see our Coaching guide). For growth and development roles, a sports development or community sport background is the most relevant qualification.
-
4
Start at grassroots or academy level
Growth officer, community coaching and academy roles are the most common entry points, especially as most national unions are actively investing in these positions right now.
-
5
Target the professional and semi-professional leagues directly
PWR (England), Super Rugby Aupiki (NZ), Super Rugby Women’s (Australia/Fiji), Women’s Elite Rugby (USA), and the RFL Women’s Super League (England, rugby league) are where the paid, senior roles increasingly sit.
-
6
Build a network inside the women’s game specifically
Women’s rugby is a fast-growing but still close-knit community — organisations like the Women’s Rugby Coaches and Referees Association (in the US) exist specifically to support this network.
-
7
Check RugbyJobs.com regularly
Women’s rugby vacancies across both codes are listed here as they’re posted — sign up for job alerts so you don’t have to keep checking manually.
Rugby Union — Top 20 Nations
Women’s rugby union by country
Ranked by current World Rugby Women’s Rankings. What differs most by country is whether a professional or semi-professional women’s domestic competition exists yet — this determines how many full-time jobs are actually available.
England
UNION
Home to PWR (Premiership Women’s Rugby), the most professionalised women’s domestic union competition in the world, plus dedicated RFU growth and pathway roles for the women’s and girls’ game.
Canada
UNION
One of the strongest national programmes globally; domestic club rugby remains largely amateur, so most full-time roles sit within Rugby Canada’s national programme itself.
New Zealand
UNION
Home to Super Rugby Aupiki, New Zealand’s professional women’s competition, alongside the Black Ferns’ well-established high-performance programme.
France
UNION
Domestic women’s rugby is growing rapidly under the FFR, with increasing investment in professional contracts for the national squad ahead of home hosting commitments.
Ireland
UNION
The IRFU has significantly increased investment in women’s contracts and pathway roles in recent seasons, though a fully professional domestic league is not yet in place.
Scotland
UNION
Scottish Rugby runs dedicated women’s and girls’ development roles; the domestic game remains semi-professional at club level.
Australia
UNION
Home to Super Rugby Women’s, a professional cross-club competition, plus a dedicated women’s pathway structure through Rugby Australia.
United States
UNION
Home to Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), a new professional city-franchise league with dedicated commercial, coaching and operations roles, alongside USA Rugby’s own national high-performance programme.
Italy
UNION
Growing rapidly on the international stage; domestic women’s rugby remains largely amateur, with most paid roles sitting within the national federation.
South Africa
UNION
SA Rugby has expanded investment in the Springbok Women’s programme; domestic club and provincial rugby remains largely amateur.
Japan
UNION
Women’s rugby is growing within Japan’s broader League One structure; most roles currently sit within the national federation’s development programme.
Wales
UNION
The WRU has introduced full-time contracts for its top women’s players in recent seasons, alongside dedicated development roles for the women’s and girls’ game.
Fiji
UNION
Fijiana’s growth has been closely tied to Australia’s Super Rugby Women’s competition, which now includes a Fijian team.
Spain
UNION
A Rugby Europe nation with a growing women’s programme; domestic competition remains amateur to semi-professional.
Samoa
UNION
Manusina’s development is closely linked to the Pacific pathway through New Zealand and Australian club and provincial rugby.
Hong Kong
UNION
No dedicated professional women’s structure is publicly documented; the programme is run through Hong Kong China Rugby’s development pathway.
Netherlands
UNION
A Rugby Europe nation with a growing amateur women’s game; roles are typically volunteer or part-time at club level.
Russia
UNION
No dedicated professional women’s structure is publicly documented; the national programme is run through the domestic federation.
Kazakhstan
UNION
One of Asia’s stronger women’s programmes; no dedicated professional domestic structure is publicly documented.
Kenya
UNION
Kenya Lionesses’ growth has been driven largely through the sevens programme; domestic 15s rugby remains amateur.
Honest note: rankings and professional structures change quickly in women’s rugby right now — some nations move rankings positions within weeks, and new professional leagues are launching regularly. Always confirm current opportunities directly with the relevant national union.
Rugby League — Top 20 Nations
Women’s rugby league by country
Ranked by official IRL Women’s World Rankings (as of December 2025). Rugby league’s clearest professional structures for women sit in Australia (NRLW) and England (RFL Women’s Super League).
Australia
LEAGUE
Home to the NRLW, the clearest professional pathway for women’s rugby league globally, with full club coaching and support staff structures.
New Zealand
LEAGUE
Closely tied to the NRLW pathway through New Zealand-based players and coaching staff moving between the two systems.
England
LEAGUE
Home to the RFL Women’s Super League, England’s semi-professional domestic competition, with growing investment in coaching and development roles.
France
LEAGUE
Women’s rugby league remains an amateur, developing programme run through the FFRXIII.
Samoa
LEAGUE
Fetu Samoa’s rise has been driven by NRLW-based players; the domestic programme itself remains amateur.
Papua New Guinea
LEAGUE
Women’s rugby league is growing alongside the country’s strong domestic men’s competitions, with development roles run through the PNG governing body.
Wales
LEAGUE
Feeds into the England-based Super League system, since a standalone Welsh domestic women’s competition is not established.
Ireland
LEAGUE
Similarly feeds into England’s Super League system, with most Ireland-eligible players and staff based in English clubs.
Cook Islands
LEAGUE
A diaspora-based programme drawing on players in the NZ and Australian systems, mirroring the men’s pathway.
Nigeria
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation with no dedicated professional structure publicly documented; growth is driven through the domestic federation.
Greece
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation without a documented dedicated women’s structure; growth is driven through the domestic federation.
Fiji
LEAGUE
The Bulikula’s rise has been driven by the IRL Rugby League World Series pathway; domestic structure remains developing.
Canada
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation with growth driven through the domestic federation rather than a professional domestic league.
Netherlands
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation without a documented professional women’s structure.
Tonga
LEAGUE
Growth driven primarily by NRLW-based players of Tongan heritage rather than a domestic professional structure.
United States
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation with growth run through USA Rugby League’s development structure rather than a professional domestic competition.
Serbia
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation without a documented professional women’s structure.
Kenya
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation without a documented professional women’s structure.
Ghana
LEAGUE
An emerging rugby league nation without a documented professional women’s structure.
Scotland
LEAGUE
Feeds into the England-based Super League system, since a standalone Scottish domestic women’s competition is not established.
Honest note: women’s rugby league rankings and structures are moving quickly ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. Always confirm current opportunities directly with the relevant national governing body.
Answered
Frequently asked questions
Tap a question to expand it. This content matches the FAQPage structured data embedded in this page.
Do I need to have played rugby to work in women’s rugby?
What’s the difference between a general rugby role and a women’s-specific role?
Which countries have fully professional women’s rugby competitions?
How did Jo Yapp go from playing to leading the British & Irish Lions Women?
Are there dedicated qualifications for women’s rugby coaching?
What’s the best entry point if I want to work in women’s rugby but haven’t played?
Do these jobs differ between rugby union and rugby league?
Can men work in women’s rugby coaching and development roles?
Is women’s rugby growing fast enough to make this a stable career?
Where can I find live vacancies in women’s rugby?
If you are looking for a rugby coaching job, career, rugby vacancies, employment or recruitment opportunity, RugbyJobs.com is the place to be!
Use our ‘Career Hub – How to’ pages under the ‘Jobseekers’ menu at top of the website navigation to find useful tips and advice and apply for jobs with the click of a button.
To view our latest jobs visit rugbyjobs.com/find-a-rugby-job View Latest Jobs
To view the jobs and reposts of jobs RugbyJobs.com Founder Efrem Leigh promotes on LinkedIn to help give you more access to jobs, Connect and Follow him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/efremleigh