WRU Defends Women's Rugby Against Financial Criticism

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has addressed accusations that the women's rugby program is financially detrimental to the men's game. Nadine Griffiths, the WRU's women's rugby director, described these claims as embarrassing and clarified that the women's program has actually generated revenue for the organization.

Since the establishment of a professional women's program in 2022, the WRU has contracted over 40 players. Despite plans to potentially eliminate one of the four men's professional regions, Griffiths emphasized that the women's game is a vital area for commercial growth, having generated £1.7 million last year.

Griffiths, who has been in her role since June, aims to enhance the visibility of women's rugby, despite the senior team's recent struggles, including a nine-match winless streak. The upcoming WXV competition is seen as a critical opportunity for the team to demonstrate progress against higher-ranked opponents.