Ruby Tui on standing up to online abuse: 'That's saying no, that's actually not cool.'

World Rugby has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Signify Group to help tackle online hate in sport and support the mental wellbeing of players, coaches and match officials throughout the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Research indicates that female players and match officials are 30% more likely to experience abuse than their male counterparts, and with England 2025 set to draw unprecedented online attention to athletes participating in the tournament, history has shown increased online visibility with all its positives, often leads to a rise in trolling, abuse, and hate speech, particularly in the context of female sports coverage.

One player who is more than aware of the increased visibility of being part of the sport’s biggest world wide tournament is New Zealand’s Ruby Tui. The iconic, world champion Black Fern became the face of the 2021 (played in 2022) Rugby World Cup over in New Zealand and with over 138,000 followers on Instagram, has amassed a large following.

Tui said: “Social media for my career and my team and women’s rugby has been hugely influential but every now and then there’s going to be people who end up throwing around awful comments, a lot of these people I’ve never ever met.

“(Addressing online abuse), that’s really standing up and saying no, that’s actually not cool. I’m putting my heart and my soul to make sure people remember this World Cup. (As players) we’re trying to give people the best sporting experiences of their lives, (it’s about) changing societies and generations.”

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “Every player and official deserves to feel safe and respected. This new service is a clear signal that we will not tolerate abuse and we are committed to creating an environment where women in rugby can thrive without fear.”

Learn more about how World Rugby is protecting players and combating online abuse at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup with Signify Group.