No Female Coaches in the PWR?
At the end of the 2024/25 season we saw several female coaches exit Premiership Women's Rugby, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t female coaches excelling in rugby, and it’s important that we don’t overlook them.
𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗪𝗥:
⚡ Emily Scarratt - both playing and coaching at Loughborough Lightning
✈️ Kim Oliver - Assistant Coach at Trailfinders
🦈 Katy Daley-McLean - leading the rugby programme at Sale Sharks
𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗪𝗥:
🇦🇺 Jo Yapp - became Wallaroos Head Coach after Worcester Warriors folded
🐝 LJ Lewis - formerly with Wasps, now Head Coach of England U20s
🇬🇧 Giselle Mather - formerly with Trailfinders, now Head Coach of GB Sevens
🃏 Amy Turner - transitioned from Harlequins Women to Harlequins Men’s Pathway
𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗪𝗥:
🌹 Sarah Hunter - moved from playing in the PWR to coaching the Red Roses
🏴 Siwan Lillicrap - moved from playing in the PWR to Wales U18s Head Coach
🏴 Claire Cruikshank - Head Coach of Edinburgh Rugby
🏴 Lou Meadows - Red Roses Attack Coach
🏉 Sarah Mckenna - current PWR player, OA Saints Head Coach and England U20s Assistant Coach
And they aren’t the only ones! There are incredible female coaches showing their experience, talent, and leadership across the game at every level.
Having strong female role models in coaching matters, and if we want to champion women in sport, we need to be responsible with the narratives we choose to share.
Saying that the PWR will have “no women in coaching roles after the Rugby World Cup” may generate easy clicks, but it dismisses the hard work being done by women in and around the league. It also feeds the perception that women aren't welcome in top-level coaching.
If we say "𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙩, 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙩", then let’s make the effort to ensure people can see it.
2025/26 Season Update
Since the time of writing we’ve seen some really exciting moves within the world of coaching.
Furthering their progression from previous PWR coaching roles, Emily Scarratt is now full time Backs and Attack Coach for Loughborough Lightning and for the Red Roses whilst Jo Yapp returns from the Wallaroos to take up a new role as Head of England Women’s Pathways.
In the PWR Rachel Taylor switched her previous role with Sale Sharks Women for a new position as Assistant Coach with Loughborough Lightning and Pat Metcalfe-Jones is Head of Women’s Rugby at Harlequins Women.
Within the USA Eagles set up Lou Meadows and Sarah Chobot continue their international coaching careers, focussing on backs and attack, and defence roles respectively.
Following the 2025 World Cup the Black Ferns announced the appointment of Whitney Hansen as their new Head Coach.
We can’t wait to see more women follow in their footsteps, and to watch their progression in the game.
