r/rugbyunion • u/maverickmak Meg Jones Fan Club • 20h ago
Wholesome A reminder of why representation matters
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u/WallopyJoe 20h ago
It's important the international community recognises Scottish people
(I have no idea what's being said)
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u/foulandamiss 14h ago
Do you know how many Scottish people there are in the world??? 40 BILLION!!!!
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u/wildcoasts 18h ago
Scots are more than England's Attic-Dwellers. :-)
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u/UnitEastern8840 Scotland 17h ago
The English are our basement dwellers!
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u/Fr13d_P0t4t0 Munster Spain (sadly) 14m ago
I'm not so sure, those damn Scot have ruined Scotland
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u/GreedyPea1992 England 20h ago
It's hard to put into words why this is so important. I'm so happy girls today get to see women playing sports - I wish I had this growing up! This world cup is already amazing.
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u/raumeat Cheetahs 19h ago
Yea I am kind of envious. As a lil girl that loved rugby, I grew up thinking of it as something only boys could do. I remember in primary school, the boys were allowed to wear their jerseys instead of their uniforms on match days. I wished that could be me. I only discovered womens rugby was a thing in my teens but it had a lot of stigma attached, my friends would make fun of it. I am so happy that girls today won't have that experience
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u/GreedyPea1992 England 19h ago
It's unbelievable isn't it. It's hard to describe how much it affects you.Â
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u/raumeat Cheetahs 18h ago
Yea, It completely blows me away. This would have rocked the foundations of 7 year old me. Not just seeing women playing but seeing it being talked about and taken seriously. I remember growing up and watching every Springboks game with my dad. I just watched the Brazil/Springboks game with him. It was the first time he has watched a womens game and it was like it was any other springboks match. I can't even put into words what this would have meant for me if it happened 20 years ago
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u/louisesarahp 6h ago
Have you tried playing? Plenty of people start later in life, my friend started age 50! I highly recommend popping into a local women's club and giving it a go :) almost all of them are incredibly welcoming to beginners
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u/CallOnBen England 19h ago
It kind of reminds me of the first time I watched he'd dr who and saw captain jack just be an openly bisexual man without it really being a big thing. It's like "holy shit it's allowed? And people will just accept it?" I'm so so glad womens sport in general has finally taken off. Putting people in boxes on what they're allowed to like and do is so stupid. It must feel so freeing for a lot of people.
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u/Confident-Ad4389 19h ago
I share this sentiment as a trans woman. I just hope some day we reach the same level of social advancement.
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u/GreedyPea1992 England 19h ago
I hope so too. Rugby should be for everyone and should be a sport that celebrates allÂ
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u/ScallyGirl 4h ago
We were watching the Eng v USA game, and I said to my husband that I wished I knew rugby existed when I was a young girl. I really think I would have loved playing, and I think the discipline would have really helped me.
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u/ShirtedRhino2 England 19h ago
To be fair, I think that's also how I'd react if I got to meet Rachel Malcolm
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u/Nothing_is_simple Worlds Biggest Bunker Hater 16h ago
We all would.
When I got my flag signed by the team after the Ireland match a couple of years ago I was fanboying so hard over her and Jade Konkle.
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u/Sensitive_Priority19 19h ago
That is such a special moment for that wee lass, very happy for her.
I saw my beloved Moosette's play Fiji yesterday, and seeing the stand full of young men and women made me very happy.
It's important for the lads to see succesful, strong women as well. Eventually, hopefully, those are the characteristics they will appreciate when they start thinking of a partner.
As an older rugby fan, I also try to cheer extra hard when watching women play. I don't know why, but a man in a kilt aggresively yelling: "You got this queen!", tends to be infectious XD
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u/HYThrowaway1980 Harlequins 20h ago
My wife and I are about 7 weeks away from having our first (and likely only) child, that weâve wanted for ten years.
If itâs a girl, then I hope to all hell that I can get her as excited about rugby and womenâ rugby players as this girl is.
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u/jug_23 Gloucester 20h ago
Kids get excited for what gets you excited.
Saying that, my almost 5 year old daughter is very excited by elements of the rugby, principally the medals, people holding flags and the fact she gets to eat popcorn.
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u/DamonPhils 19h ago
" ...and the fact she gets to eat popcorn."
Substitute beer for popcorn and we've cut straight to the heart of the sport's overwhelming appeal.
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u/Mr_Gin_Tonic Bristol 19h ago
It's definitely easier to convert people from football to rugby with "and you can drink in the stadium"
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u/BigHowski 19h ago
I had a brain fart last time I went to the onion kickers and asked my mate if he wanted a pint to watch the 1st half with..... I was proper heart broken too that I couldn't have a nice beer while watching the footie
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u/NLFG Saracens 19h ago
I did this at a friendly match. Was about to pay and I was like....hold on, I can't take this out can I? I don't want it đ
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u/BigHowski 18h ago
I had a proper grump on when I realised. Ruined my day
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u/NLFG Saracens 18h ago
Oh same. Was looking forward to a delicious cold larger and....denied.
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u/princewhisky 17h ago
I had never been to the footie before and some mates took me to see Leighton Orient - I bought four pints because I didn't want to line up again. They stood back and laughed which I thought was odd but also equally weird behaviour for them. Then proceeded to tell me that I had to down all four before going in. I had recently had child number one so not drank in a while - I was gone.
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u/NLFG Saracens 19h ago
Mine are similar. They're big fans of flags, sweets and the play ground at the Stone X
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u/jug_23 Gloucester 19h ago
This competition will be first time for in person rugby, so wish us luck. Treating it as a bit party and enabling mum and dad to see 40% of a match.
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u/NLFG Saracens 19h ago
Good luck! We've only done a few women's games at Stone X with both (11 and 6) but we're all going down to the Amex for England - Australia. So that'll be fun.
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u/Toxicseagull England 11h ago
I'm not a kid shepherder but the stone x, for all the grief about atmosphere it gets, really seems to make an effort with the family occasion stuff, even during a normal prem match. From an outside perspective.
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u/Immorals1 Saracens 17h ago
When does this start? My 3 year old protests when I watch the rugby đ
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u/jug_23 Gloucester 15h ago
Oh, Iâm still shouted at every time the TV is showing anything that she doesnât want to watch (and turns out that gets way worse at about this ageâŚ), but you need to push through that part. Basically, constant bribery is the only way weâve achieved a modicum of interest.Â
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u/caleyjag Scotland 19h ago
This right here is why all the haters can do one. I'm loving this WC (45M, if it maters).
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u/Apollo_satellite England | Exeter Chiefs 19h ago
I've also seen a video of a couple of young (English I assume) girls with handmade Fiji tees on, waiting after the match to get them signed. It's important for young girls to have women to look up to, and I think it's equally important for the players to see the younger generation they are inspiring.
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u/AJV1Beta England / Cornish Pirates 19h ago
Athletes and players can be god damn superheroes. Normal people, then put the shirt on and you become a larger than life hero.
Stuff like this is what makes me love sport, and seeing women and little girls getting the chance to cheer for their heroes and watch women like them go, yes, you fucking CAN play rugby, just watch us doing it! Its magic.
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u/Nothing_is_simple Worlds Biggest Bunker Hater 16h ago
Doctor Rachel Malcom is the coolest person in rugby.
She's a university lecturer at the same time as being the best captain in the sport, and seemingly being the nicest person in the world. How awesome is that!
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u/Sad-Vermicelli-7893 15h ago
A phenomenal ambassador for the game in Scotland. My 7 yo daughter and I are huge fans.
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u/_dictatorish_ Damian came back 𼰠11h ago
Reminds me of Georgia Redmayne, the Australian cricketer - she's also somehow a practising doctor while also being a professional athlete
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u/sennais1 MIA on Caxton Street 4h ago
John Roe as well, he graduated medicine while playing for the Reds and Wallabies.
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u/T0t0leHero France 19h ago
That's a true feel good video (and the fact she really looks like my daughter makes me a lot more feel good!)
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u/HenkCamp South Africa 18h ago
Damn⌠this is beautiful. Make me wish my daughters had a moment with someone like Booi back when they were little Springbok fans!
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u/ox_ 17h ago
Absolutely love this. Different sport, I know, but about a year ago, my daughter was a mascot at a Man City WPL match. She ended up walking out with Chloe Kelly who was so unbelievably nice to her. They chatted during the walk out and my daughter was copying all her little warm up moves. We watched the match afterwards and Kelly bossed it in front of this massive crowd- to my daughter that was just like seeing her new mate wow the entire stadium with her football skills. Then this year we watched her star at the Euros on TV and get loads of positive coverage in the media.
It makes the dream seem achievable to her. It's not just a thing that boys do.
Just generally, girls' football is booming now. Last season, my daughter's team were in Div 1 of 8 in the West Yorkshire league. All the matches were super competetive and high quality and some of those girls were scarily talented. When I was a kid, I didn't know one girl who even played footy.
Hopefully, girls' rugby is close behind in that journey.
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u/Empty-Access-9417 19h ago
Where is this clip from? I canât find it on instagram if its there
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u/enricobasilica 17h ago
It's on the BBC Sport Instagram
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u/Empty-Access-9417 17h ago
I still canât find it for some reason but that you! This video is so cute
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u/PM-UR-LIL-TIDDIES 17h ago
Awwww, little girl's positively bouncing with excitement! She won't forget that day for a long time.
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u/sadzanenyama 2h ago
I was walking into a shop in Auckland with my daughter and Ruby Tui was walking out. My daughter was on the same line as her and they did the âdodge-left-dodge-rightâ thing before Ruby threw her arms around my daughter and proceeded to dance like they were on the ballroom floor for a few seconds. Then she stopped, mock bowed, did the little finger out thumbs up and said âyou got da moves!â gave her enormous smile and wandered off.
Five years later and my daughter still talks about it.
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u/MealieAI 19h ago
Its not even about letting them know that they too can play this sport, its about expanding the idea of what they think is possible. Boys get told they can do anything they want, ,and even when they arent, they have every example available to them.
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u/Super_Caillou Switzerland 17h ago
Saw her at the game getting autographs from the Australian team who were watching from the stands. She seemed really excited!
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u/PeteZzzaa 17h ago
This is wholesome as hell. I can't hear what's being said but it looks like a core memory has been unlocked!
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u/hagrid007 13h ago
It's the literal shivers of excitement after their chat that makes this so touching. Sometimes you really should meet your heroes and heroines.
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u/Bullygirl06 10h ago
She will remember the kindness of that player for a long time. She was absolutely thrilled to be in that moment.
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u/CatWranglingVet678 9h ago
I'm so happy that the next generations have this! Most of us in the US didn't get exposed to rugby until college/military. And the growth of the sport for women since then (90s) has been astronomical!
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u/Euture 19h ago
What does she have on her thighs? What is that and why is it protruding?
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u/Cheese_on_yourtoast 19h ago
Lifting blocks. Helps your team mates get a grip on your legs when youâre being lifted in the lineout
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u/cactusJosh97 Scotland 17h ago
This is lovely. Sidenote, anyone got a track ID in the background? Feels like a Bicep tune.
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u/PuzzleheadedFold503 Ten/Tin/Dix/Diez/Dieci/Fuh-Laah-Horf 7h ago
I'm glad the next generation have such positive role models within the sport.
Back in the 80s and 90s, most men's teams were essentially a bunch of functional alcoholics in baggy shirts
Still, we turned out more or less ok... I think?
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u/Bravestarr1966 2h ago
My friends and I always travel to the men's rugby world cups and this was our first experience of the woman's. The double header thing is an amazing idea. 4 sets of fans in the same stadium. The best thing about the whole day was that every team came round the whole ground after their matches to meet the fans and do selfies etc. The Samoa girls had been trounced on the scoreboard but had never given up and it was amazing to see their pride in being part of it all.
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u/Adventurous_Tip_101 17h ago
The women's game has fought for so long to get to this stage of normalisation, which it shouldn't have needed to, and there's still more work to be done!
If anything like this doesn't negatively affect you, but you're upset about this for some reason or another, then GOOD because YOU'RE THE PROBLEM, and it's NOT ABOUT YOU!
PS MON EH SCOTLAND đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó żđŞ
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u/AlexPaterson16 Edinburgh 13h ago
And also despite what some toxic men claim. It was a fucking good game of rugby. I may be biased though
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u/Wonderful-Zebra-6439 14h ago
What does the title have to do with the video? Doesn't make any sense
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u/pheralphilosopher 7h ago
I am so bored with men's rugby union. I live in NZ and couldn't name a single all black player these days. Women's Rugby is đĽ though, and so much more fun to watch. The players have awesome attitudes and are amazing role models for all young people.
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u/bad_kiwi2020 10h ago
The women rugby players are such great role models. I have loved rugby all my life (was never much good at it) but would now rather watch the women play than watch the men (still watch the AB's). Not only are the women great players, they also seem to be great sportspeople, & generally good people full-stop!
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u/fluffyneenja USA 7h ago
We have been privileged to be able to meet several of the RWC womenâs players the last few days, mostly Black Ferns. They are all so gracious and wonderful to talk to and are so caring of the kids. Itâs the greatest family experience. This tournament has been such a great time.
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u/Conscious_String_195 19h ago
I m not sure what we are ârepresentingâ here in this video, but the girl is sweet. It just looks like an all white, womens rugby match.
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u/HenkCamp South Africa 18h ago
When Kolisi ran on the field as captain the first time a lot of South Africans felt represented because for years Black South Africans were underrepresented even though Apartheid ended more than 20 years earlier. This little girl feels represented because for years womenâs rugby was seen as less of a game. Now she feels represented because the womenâs game is being respected and she has heroes to look up to. She simply feels ârepresentedâ as a young girl who loves rugby.
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u/Calm_seasons England 18h ago
Shockingly a country that is 93% white has a mostly white rugby team??
Do you also comment and say there's too many Asians in China?Â
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u/Conscious_String_195 18h ago
Not really. Itâs 2025, not 1995 when this would be more of a novelty. I have been to womenâs pro soccer, college vball and lacrosse a decade or more ago when teams were good, etc.
I guess that this is astounding news or info that women play rugby, but I assumed they have been playing for a while. That is why I asked what it was because I didnât see obvious representation like color or disability, etc. Ita the fact that she s a woman. Cool. Some see it as normal.
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u/le_sighs Canada 17h ago
You know in 1995 womenâs teams didnât get to play in stadiums, to fans, right? That the games werenât broadcast on TV? Sure, womenâs rugby existed, but it was very, very hard to find. Certainly they didnât have younger players running them out onto the field. There was no ceremony whatsoever. You had to already be a senior player to have any clue your national team was even playing.
Iâm a womenâs player and have played since â96. I know. I watched our national team play on shit fields that barely had stands. âRepresentationâ doesnât just mean it exists - it means itâs visible.
Itâs incredible to see moments like this, because they absolutely, unequivocally, did not exist in 1995.
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u/CompetitiveKoala246 19h ago
Not sure why you're bringing skin colour into it. White girls and boys seeing white women achieve in sports is still important.
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u/Conscious_String_195 18h ago
I m trying to see the representation or diversity, as I see a bunch of women playing a sport. Itâs 2025, not 1995, when this would be astounding to see. I have watched gone to womens college bball games, lacrosse and soccer years ago.
Thatâs why I was wondering what the representation is, but now I know that people still find it shocking that women can play sports at a high level.
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u/CamelsCannotSew 17h ago
When I was a kid, there were two places that girls could play rugby in my county. And the only age group was u16s, which had my sister playing against 16 year olds as a 12 year old.Â
I appreciate your point, but the majority of the women playing this world cup aren't professional athletes. The Scottish players don't have contracts for next year. World Rugby had to step in to get teams flown in due to budget constraints of certain nations. Overall, women's rugby is reasonably diverse. I've done some vague googling and generally each team is represented at least proportionally to the population of the country they live in.Â
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u/SnarkingOverNarcing 19h ago
Representing an alternative to overtly âfeminineâ hobbies for girls and pink washed sports (so many female athletes are still expected to be wearing full hair and makeup and sequins while doing their sport)
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u/Conscious_String_195 18h ago
I guess that itâs me then because I see this as normal and just a womanâs sport. I go to Orlando Pride matches w/women (of playing someone good) and will catch the men too.
Ex gf played lacrosse in college too, so I went to those two as well as UF volleyball.
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u/torontojacks 9h ago
Remember, her parents have dropped some good cash to have their daughter there. I'm glad she enjoyed it, but this isn't inclusive in any way.
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u/thanksyalll 4h ago
Just because itâs exclusive in some ways doesnât mean it canât be inclusive âin any wayâ
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u/_bobby_tables_ 20h ago
That was... very nice. Thanks for sharing!