England women’s rugby players are now entitled to 26 weeks’ fully-paid maternity leave as well as funds for children to travel to games with them.
The Rugby Football Union’s maternity, pregnant parent and adoption leave policy will “normalise motherhood”, says pregnant lock Abbie Ward.
Pregnant players will be supported to start other employment within rugby.
Ward said the policy will “give players the best possible chance of returning to play” after having a baby.
In February 2022, it was announced that players in the top two tiers of women’s football in England would get full pay for the first 14 weeks of maternity leave.
The majority of England women’s international rugby players have had professional contracts since 2019, but the RFU did not previously have a maternity policy designed specifically for players.
The new policy was created with the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) and the input of players themselves.
England prop and RPA representative Vickii Cornborough described the announcement as a “game changing moment”.
Cornborough explained how the three year process “looked quite extensively at different sports” and “looked for inspiration from other unions”.
In particular they looked closely at the New Zealand Rugby Union’s policy for the Black Ferns.
“Within their culture of being a family inclusive environment, I think that was a good benchmark for us to build on that,” she said.
Players who are selected within 12 months of giving birth or adopting a child will now have travel and accommodation costs covered for children under 12 months old and a “support person” to join them at games or on training camps.
An RFU statement added that there will be “a similar provision made for any player who would prefer for their infant to remain in the home environment”.
If contracts are renegotiated or extended during the player’s pregnancy or maternity leave, the player will be included and have their contract extended for at least 12 months.
RPA general secretary Christian Day described the policy as “another significant step forward for the women’s game in England”, adding that it “makes becoming a parent more normal and less taboo, which is exactly as it should be”.