At the World Rugby Assembly in London, Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah called for full gender inclusion in global rugby, stating that the sport cannot reach its full potential while sidelining women.
LONDON | Khoshhal Taib
Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah has issued a strong call for gender equality in rugby leadership, telling delegates at the 17th World Rugby General Assembly in London that the sport “cannot achieve excellence with only half the team.”
Speaking during a panel on women’s representation ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Finals, Mensah said ignoring women’s talent was both unjust and economically short-sighted.
“How can you ignore talent because of gender?” he said. “If sport is big business, neglecting women means alienating half the world, and losing half your potential.”
The assembly, organized by World Rugby, brought together 134 national unions and regional associations to discuss leadership, governance, and the game’s future direction. Women now hold 42% of seats on the World Rugby Executive Board and 38% on the Council, progress hailed as historic but still incomplete.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson urged members to sustain the momentum of the Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025, describing the tournament as “joyous, bold, brilliant and truly era defining.” Attendance at the final between England and Canada reached 81,885, more than triple that of 2021.
Mensah reaffirmed Rugby Africa’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women across the continent. “This beautiful game of ours requires excellence, and we can’t achieve it with only 50% of us,” he said. “There is nothing to fear from equality. It makes us stronger.”
The panel also featured Kylie Bates, UN Women’s Sport Strategy Lead for the Pacific Islands; Sol Iglesias, CEO of Argentina Rugby Union; and Cathy Wong, President of the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee.
The assembly concluded with a clear message: the global future of rugby will depend not only on the players on the field, but also on ensuring equal representation in its leadership.