Griffin to become first female president in RFU’S history
Deborah Griffin is set to make history in 2025 by becoming the Rugby Football Union’s first female president.
The appointment of Griffin, an RFU council member since 2010 and one of the first female representatives on World Rugby’s council, will come in the year England host the women’s World Cup.
The presidential succession plan for the next three seasons is expected to be ratified at the RFU council AGM on June 16. Rob Briers will succeed incumbent Nigel Gillingham on Aug 1, with Rob Udwin taking over from Briers as senior vice-president, and Griffin his junior. From August 2024, Udwin will move up to president before Griffin makes history a year later.
In 2021, the RFU’S diversity and inclusion advisory group identified that, compared to the overall adult population in England, women were less likely to participate or be interested in rugby union – and they, alongside other minority groups, had experienced more discrimination. In this regard, Griffin’s appointment would be a significant boost to the profile of women’s rugby, both at home and abroad.
Griffin, whose rugby journey started as a player at University College London 45 years ago, founded the Women’s Rugby Football Union in 1983 and chaired the organisation of the first women’s World Cup in 1991.
She captained the first English women’s club side before eventually overseeing the WRFU’S full integration with the RFU in 2012. Griffin is also bursar at Homerton College, University of Cambridge.
Briers is a past president of Lancashire and played for West Park St Helens, Lancashire, North West Counties, the North of England and England Under-23s, while Udwin is an RFU representative to Rugby Europe, where he is a vice-president, a member of the board of directors and chairman of the rugby commission.
After a successful 2010 showpiece, England will host the women’s World Cup for the second time in 2025, the 10th edition of the tournament. New Zealand are reigning champions following their victory against the Red Roses in last year’s final at Eden Park, Auckland.