The men’s Rugby World Cup in France began on Friday evening – with Steve Borthwick’s England looking to win the prestigious competition for the first time in two decades
Shaunagh Brown believes rugby is a sport for everyone(
Former England star Shaunagh Brown believes rugby union is an inclusive sport – but called on authorities to be more proactive in attracting new viewers.
England face Argentina in the opening game of the men’s World Cup in France on Saturday. Steve Borthwick’s team are aiming to win the competition for the first time in 20 years after losing to South Africa in the last World Cup final in Japan.
Rugby has been criticized in the past for its “boy culture”. Although Brown, who was present in England’s defeat by New Zealand in the Women’s World Cup final last year, accepts there is a stereotype, she believes the reality is very different.
“You see it’s a sport for middle-class white men… but once you get in you realize the good work that’s being done,” said Brown, who spoke to Mirror Sport on behalf of Mastercard’s Future XV -Program.
Because of stories of brutal introductions and wild evenings, rugby has often been labeled as a child’s sport. Brown believes it is up to the leaders of these clubs, both at amateur and professional level, to ensure their players are good ambassadors.
“Some of the activities that male rugby players engage in are just terrible. Someone at the top has to say, ‘Boys, you can’t behave like that.’ Some initiations you hear about, you say, ‘Oh, that’s it.’ Tradition’. It used to be traditional to send children down the chimney, but that doesn’t mean we have to do it.”
Brown believes rugby can be a sport for everyone because of its affordability. According to manufacturer Gilbert Rugby, an annual rugby club membership costs around £125. Players don’t need too much special equipment either.
“Rugby is a really affordable sport. You don’t have to buy big, expensive equipment. Hopefully you have a rugby club not far away… Rugby can be for everyone.”
Still, Brown believes English football, particularly Premiership teams, needs to do more to appeal to fans of all backgrounds. “It’s definitely going in the right direction. I would suggest not being quick enough… but I would give England Rugby all the credit they need, they are trying.”
“I see things on the inside that either can’t be solved or that you don’t really notice from the outside. (It’s) simple things like graffiti all over the towers, specifically made by a company in Twickenham.” You think: ‘Graffiti and Twickenham, that doesn’t quite fit’. But this is about a different kind of viewer.”
Brown spoke to Mirror Sport on behalf of the Mastercard Futures XV program(
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She has also urged authorities to look for more modern ways to connect with new fans. “Are you going to the local school and putting up a poster? Nobody will read a poster.”
“Or set up a TikTok account and get people involved and get the dances and all the good things that TikTok brings into people’s lives. With youth looking at these platforms, you should spend more time on them.”
The England men’s team has often been criticized for its reliance on the private school system. The team’s former head coach, Eddie Jones, even once called on authorities to “blow the whole thing up” because it would produce players who lacked “determination.”
Although Brown’s criticism is not as strong as Jones’s, she believes the Rugby Football Union (RFU) needs to broaden its horizons to make the men’s game more inclusive. “This is a bigger issue in men’s and school football because of how their systems are set up in terms of their academies and where they look for their talent.”
“I hope this doesn’t impact women’s football at some point because that’s the good thing about women’s football at the moment – it doesn’t matter what school you come from… it’s more about your raw talent.”
Brown also highlighted the impact of expanding women’s football across the country. The men played all three Six Nations games at Twickenham this year, but the women played at Northampton and Newcastle as well as Twickenham.
“If you’re not able to get to Twickenham – which can be difficult for much of the country – then you look at women’s football. The sport is taken to so many different parts of the country.”
“The World Cup is coming to England in 2025 and it goes as far as Exeter in the south and as far as Sunderland in the north. It’s about introducing more people to rugby and not necessarily relying on people coming to rugby…we can take rugby with people.
“It’s going in the right direction but there’s still a lot of work to be done – particularly in men’s football and where they get their talent from, how their academies work and which schools they work with.”
“If you go apple shopping all the time and look in the apple cart, don’t be surprised if you come home with a bag of apples and there isn’t an orange there. If you look in the same place all the time, you will get the same people.
Shaunagh Brown is a member of the Mastercard Future XV: a group of 15 pioneers from around the world making a difference through rugby. The Future
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