World Rugby and Gallagher extend GHPA programme

World Rugby and Gallagher have announced the extension of the Gallagher High Performance Academy (GHPA) to the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger programme.

The programme sees twelve women coaches participate in the GHPA as part of their high-performance management teams.

The Academy, which is part of World Rugby’s strategic plan to develop women in rugby, aims to elevate women in coaching and high-performance roles. It focuses on talent identification, professional support, and nurturing international coaches.

Participants receive mentorship and workshops covering game planning, tactics, communication, and culture creation. Since 2023, the GHPA has supported 32 coaches across sevens and 15s formats.

Seven new countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Czechia, Hong Kong China, Poland, Thailand and Uganda, will join this year’s HSBC Sevens Challenger series.

Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby, World Rugby, said, “We eagerly anticipate welcoming the 12 coaches to the academy in preparation for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger. We are already witnessing the positive impact of the programme. It is a testament to the academy’s success that we now have women coaching half of the women’s teams in HSBC SVNS 2025.”

Christopher Mead, Chief Marketing Officer for Gallagher, said, “We are thrilled to reinforce our commitment to women in the rugby space by extending the Gallagher High Performance Academy to the HSBC SVNS Challenger series. We are proud of our work in delivering such an impactful programming, providing meaningful career development and opportunities for women both on and off the pitch.”

Sarah Hunter, Gallagher Ambassador and GHPA WXV 2023 alumni, added, “Having been through the Gallagher High Performance Academy myself, at WXV 2023, I’ve experienced first-hand the benefits and impact of the programme. It’s fantastic to see the GHPA being extended across all formats and tiers of the game, providing a much-needed pathway for more women in coaching and high-performance roles.”