Should Women’s Rugby Lead the Way in America?

I read an article recently (which I am kicking myself for not bookmarking the link) that said rugby may not be able to fully take hold within the US since the American contact sport market is saturated by the NFL (and the NHL). At first, I saw the author’s point, but then I took another look at it and realized that while maybe men’s rugby may not succeed in the US, perhaps women’s rugby could thrive in the US.

Hope Rogers, one of the best props in the world, who plays for Exeter Chiefs in England

It's clear that the rugby world wants to tap into that sweet American dollar, demonstrated by the US hosting increasing amounts of international matches and two upcoming world cups for the men and women. But similarly to every other sport, the push has not been equal for both sexes. In the past fifteen tests, US men have played three home matches to the women’s singular home match against Canada in April (and you have to go even deeper into the schedule to find another home fixture). And this could be rugby’s biggest mistake.

In the United States, women’s sport is on a steep trajectory of success. The women’s national soccer team continues to be a juggernaut, the Kansas City Current have built the first women’s professional sports stadium in the world, the WNBA’s average attendance has increased by 58% compared to 2022, and the new PWHL smashed previous expectations and had to move venues to accommodate for higher demand. And all this is without mentioning the success of the USA women’s sevens team at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the celebrity of Ilona Maher. Again focusing back on rugby but in the global lens, the women’s game in England is rising and setting new records while the men’s game is stagnant and at risk of failure.

The American women already have a higher pedigree compared to the men. The women are currently ninth in the world, six spots above the men. They also won the first ever women’s world cup in 1991, and the sevens team won bronze in Paris. While the USA men have won two consecutive Olympic golds, they haven’t seen that level of success in over 100 years. Performance wise, the women are in a better position.

The US’ 1991 World Cup winning squad

Returning back to the article about the sporting market in the US, the women’s contact spectator sports market gives an opportunity for rugby in the US. The PWHL, now starting its second season, is the only league that fits that niche, while the NFL (or a potential competitor) has not made any moves to establish a women’s football league. Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is slated to kick off its first ever season in 2025, which would make it the first American professional women’s rugby competition. If you combine this new platform with the success of USA women’s rugby and the celebrity of Ilona Maher, it poses the possibility that women’s rugby could succeed in the US while men’s rugby flounders.

The success of the WER and the women’s game as a whole in America could also bring a wave of change within women’s rugby worldwide. As it stands, Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) in England is the only real ‘international’ club rugby competition and is also the best women’s rugby league in the world. English clubs are littered with internationals, whereas clubs in France, New Zealand, and Australia are almost completely made up of domestic talent. WER could take a more international approach like the PWR, pulling in players from across North America, Oceania and Asia. This would give international players an opportunity to play regularly and hopefully improve their national sides (and make it harder for England to dominate the women’s rugby rankings).

Rugby has tried multiple times to have a breakthrough in the US. And while Major League Rugby does give some hope to make America into a rugby nation, perhaps the real hope lies in supporting women. Which may be part of a bigger lesson, but I have no idea what that could be…