Building Stronger, Faster and Ultimately Better Rugby Players in the Girls’ Game

Send us Fan MailIn this Rugby Coach Weekly episode, Dan sits down with Emily Pratt, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the England Women’s U20s, to unpack the brand new U16 Foundational Athletic Development and U18 Athletic Development programmes reshaping the female pathway.Emily explains how England Rugby is shifting the landscape for young female athletes. She and Dan explore:How potential is identified beyond “ready-made” athletesWhy movement competency, aerobic fitness and training age matter more than lifting heavyThe balance between school sport, club rugby, other commitments and recoveryHow to help girls build confidence around body image and trainingWhy injury rehab should be seen as an opportunity rather than a setbackHow coaches can approach conversations around the menstrual cycleWhy the entire development programme has been made freely available to all players, not just those in the pathwayEmily also emphasises that strength training is never about changing how girls look, but about helping them become fitter, faster, more resilient rugby players.If you coach girls rugby — at club, school, college or county — this episode is packed with practical guidance, player-centred insights and a clear breakdown of what “good” athletic development looks like.You can find the full programme, including videos and week-by-week sessions, on the England Rugby website:This link is to the U16 Foundational athletic development section of the website https://www.englandrugby.com/play/parents-guardians/player-pathway/foundation-phase-girls-pathway#foundational-athletic-development-The next link is specific to the U18 Athletic Development at PDG. https://www.englandrugby.com/play/parents-guardians/player-pathway/development-phase-girls-pathway#foundational-athletic-development-To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach WeeklyTo find out more about our Partner Club offerCLICK HEREAlso, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!