From menstrual tracking to mental health: how a uni-based initiative is helping young women excel in rugby

The Guardian

18-02-2025

'Rugby isn't just about rugby,' says Shira Kilgallon, executive producer at the women's rugby podcast The Good, The Scaz and The Rugby (GSR) – where discussions range from body image and confidence to self-belief and the sport itself. Having picked up the ball aged 12, she recalls the sense of belonging she felt as a girl among teammates who also prized being 'strong' rather than 'small'. 'I discovered rugby was as much about what I took off the field, as what I did on it,' she says, of how the sport can help forge identity and friendship, as well as a powerful body.
It is the far-reaching impact of rugby that sits at the core of Vodafone's EmpowHER programme – a team effort by Vodafone and GSR that gives young female players at university the tools to thrive in an elite arena. The partnership kicked off at Durham University, Cardiff University and the University of Edinburgh in the 2023-24 season, and has expanded to Cardiff Metropolitan University, Loughborough University, Hartpury University and the University of Exeter. This means that all seven teams playing in the top league of university rugby – BUCS Super Rugby – are now benefiting from targeted mentoring, tech-based insight and mental health support designed to raise their game.
'We've already seen an increase in participation in women's rugby, and we're hoping Vodafone's EmpowHER can build on the exciting momentum happening right now,' says Kilgallon, of the buzz ahead of the Women's World Cup 2025, being hosted in England this August and September. The main way the programme is helping young female players fulfil their dreams of a career in the sport is to give them one-to-one mentoring with experts from the world of rugby, including podcast hosts and England stars Emily Scarratt and Mo Hunt, and their fellow broadcaster Elma Smit.
'Some mentees dream of playing professionally – with ambitions for Premiership Women's Rugby, the Celtic Challenge and international sides – while others are keen to go into coaching, team management or media,' says Kilgallon, of the pathways that Vodafone's EmpowHER programme is able to highlight to young players.
The initiative has grown from an initial 16 participants across three universities in its first year to 70 from the seven universities now – and its impact is already being felt. Scarratt's mentee Nicole Flynn and her teammate Cieron Bell from the University of Edinburgh were selected as part of the Scotland women's matchday squad during the 2024 Women's Six Nations, having been given personalised feedback on how they could realise their potential. Meanwhile, Ella Merefield, who had been Durham University women's rugby club captain, was offered the team manager role at Sale Sharks Women after impressing mentor Katy Daley-Mclean – who captained England to victory in the 2014 Women's World Cup and is now Sale Sharks women's performance lead.
'It wasn't always the case that you could make a career out of rugby,' says Kilgallon. This was a hurdle that Natalie Goodall, now account manager at GSR, had to overcome, saying that 'as the sport is growing, it's also opening so many job roles that didn't exist before'.
Vodafone's EmpowHER programme is also investing in the future of the women's game through the Vodafone PLAYER.Connect performance dashboard. 'The platform facilitates the easy collection of data about athletes' performance and recovery,' says Alex Skelton, director of the Sport Science Agency, which first worked with the company on putting the technology into action with the British & Irish Lions in 2021, and has now rolled it out to the Vodafone EmpowHER programme. 'Previously, it took staff time to analyse player data to form practical insights, but now the feedback to coaches, nutritionists and physiotherapists is immediate.'
Vodafone PLAYER.Connect takes a firmly holistic approach. 'It's a first of its kind,' says Skelton, of the way players input information about aspects such as sleep, mood, energy levels and nutrition, which are then monitored along with their menstrual cycle. 'It provides a greater understanding of how female athletes can be better supported,' he says.
Put into practice, monitoring player wellbeing alongside their menstrual cycle helps coaches identify players who might be over training and as a result are suffering from amenorrhea (lack of periods). It has even enabled team doctors to identify the signs of endometriosis in some players, resulting in early diagnosis and treatment. 'At different phases in the menstrual cycle, players can be more susceptible to soft tissue injuries, so coaching staff and physios may recommended additional activation exercises to off-set that risk,' he says.
What's more, Vodafone's EmpowHER programme is also tackling another common problem that student athletes can face, by helping manage the impact on mental health of balancing rugby with university studies. 'Vodafone PLAYER.Connect is able to flag if a player seems to be struggling, encouraging check-in conversations to happen sooner before low mood becomes chronic,' says Skelton. 'If players report that they are struggling with workload, low energy or mood, or the stresses of being a student athlete then the coaching staff can work with them to ensure they get the support that they need.' As part of the EmpowHER programme, students will be offered support from another Vodafone partner, the rugby mental health charity, LooseHeadz.
'Through the programme, we help players develop a deeper understanding of mental health,' explains Rob Shotton, co-founder of LooseHeadz. 'We roll out in-person university-specific mental health training modules, which aim to ensure players have the right tools to look after their wellbeing and also spot the signs they may be struggling. We're encouraging students to check in on themselves and their teammates, tackle the stigma and help create an open, supportive environment for everyone.'
Further still, Shotton points out that rugby itself offers numerous positives for young women's mental wellbeing. 'The sport helps develop resilience, confidence, collaboration and community – qualities that can help build mental strength,' he says. 'All of these factors are particularly vital in dealing with the challenges of university life, which can sometimes feel isolating and overwhelming. It is a time when students are navigating so many changes, including managing academic work and newfound independence with building and maintaining relationships and living away from home – but we want to empower them.'
Find out how Vodafone is committed to growing rugby at all levels