Gender Removed from Rugby World Cup Titles

World Rugby has decided that its flagship 15s and 7s Rugby World Cup properties will no longer include gender in their titles.

As such, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand will now be called Rugby World Cup 2021.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: "This announcement demonstrates our ongoing and unwavering commitment to advancing women in rugby both on and off the field in line with our ambitious strategic plan. Unintentional gender bias in sport is an ongoing issue. As a global sporting federation we need to be leading from the front on the issue of equality. By adopting gender balance in the naming of men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup competitions, we are setting new standards in equality in rugby."

The expansion of women’s rugby continues to exceed expectations worldwide, with the sport experiencing unprecedented global growth.

Participation levels are at an all-time high with 2.7 million players globally - making up more than a quarter of the global playing population. This includes a 28 per cent rise in registered players since 2017.

For the second year running, more young girls have got into rugby globally than boys and more than 40 per cent of rugby’s 400m fanbase are female.

World Rugby Chief Marketing Officer, Marissa Pace, said, "World Rugby is clearly committed to equality in our sport and we decided that we no longer need to identify our marquee events with a gender bias from a brand level. Our three World Cup events are the pinnacle of international rugby and we wanted the focus to be on the event and the athletes, not their gender. We’re very proud to be leading the sport industry in this space."

Japan will host the men's Rugby World Cup from 20 September to 2 November 2019.

Rugby pictures: Pictures from 2019 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2018 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2017 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2016 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures of Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2015, Pictures of the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Qualifier in Hong Kong, Pictures of Singha Thailand Sevens 2015, Pictures from the 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour in Hong Kong, Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2014, Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2013, Pictures of Chartis Cup 2012 and Pictures of Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012.

See latest HD Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Rugby, Gender, Women.