WRU join English and Irish unions in banning transgender women

Welsh rugby‘s governing body the WRU has become the latest union to ban transgender women from playing all forms of rugby.

They join the England’s governing body, the RFU, and Ireland’s, the IRFU, in making the decision on a total ban, and provided similar justification in a statement on their website.

It read: “The new policy means contact rugby for players in the female category is limited to those whose sex was recorded as female at birth.

“This is a departure from the previous policy which allowed for participation in the women’s game for transgender women depending on the outcome of a thorough medical process including testosterone tests prior to registration to play.

“Recent peer reviewed research provides evidence that there are physical differences between those whose sex was assigned as male and those as female at birth, and advantages in strength, stamina and physique brought about by male puberty are significant and retained even after testosterone suppression.”

WRU updates gender participation policy via @WelshRugbyUnion https://t.co/Jm4KrDluPj

— Welsh Women's Rugby🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@waleswomenrugby) September 7, 2022

Unlike in England and Ireland, there is not currently a single transgender woman who is registered as a rugby player in Wales, and so are unlikely to face the kind of legal challenge that England’s governing body is currently involved in.

Transgender women’s rugby player Julie Curtiss, 52, who plays at Hove RFC has brought action against the RFU under section 7 of the Equality Act of 2010.

But the move made by the WRU was supported by 9-capped former Welsh international and now Member of Parliament for Gower Tonia Antoniazzi.

“As a former Welsh rugby international I’d like to thank the Welsh Rugby Union Executive board for this decision,” she said.

“Aged 50, I play mixed touch rugby and veterans rugby, there is a category for everyone to play.

“Safety and fairness in sport is the key to increased participation.”