Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Nicky Ponsford earns landmark role at World Rugby

World Rugby’s new Director of High Performance Nicky Ponsford (centre), pictured with Dr Araba Chintoh (left), Sally Horrox and Rugby Canada chair Sally Dennis (photo from World Rugby).

Nicky Ponsford has been named World Rugby’s new Director of High Performance, becoming the first woman to hold such a role at the international federation on a permanent basis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ponsford, who held the role of interim Director of High Performance, will be charged with raising the standards of the expanded men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups and will be at the heart of discussions with unions and regions.

She joined World Rugby from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in 2021 as Women’s High Performance Manager and according to the governing body has played a key role in “resetting the approach for targeted unions to prepare for pinnacle events, including Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 and WXV”.

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

Register now for the ticket presale

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

Register now for the ticket presale

The former England hooker, who was part of the team that won Women’s Rugby World Cup 1994, has also been instrumental in reshaping the women’s global calendar and has initiated new coach education programmes as well as helping to raise standards through the deployment of specialist performance consultants.

In her interim role, Ponsford has worked with unions preparing for the new Nations Cup launching in 2026 and the remodelled Men’s Rugby World Cup qualification pathway.

“This is an era-defining time for a sport with a clear growth mandate over the next decade,” Ponsford said.

“I am excited about working across the business, and more broadly with unions and regions to provide targeted solutions that sustainably support increases in competitiveness within a calendar that includes new competition models and expanded men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups and beyond.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Related

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “We are delighted to confirm Nicky Ponsford as Director of High Performance following a global process.

“One of the most successful and widely respected high-performance managers in the global game, Nicky will continue to bring her considerable experience and energy to a role that is pivotal in supporting our mission to grow the global game, broadening its appeal to more people in more nations.”

World Rugby Director of Competitions and Performance Nigel Cass added: “Nicky has made a huge impression across the game, playing a leading role in both redefining the women’s competition landscape, but reforming the way we partner with and support our unions to achieve their high-performance goals.

“With the sport entering an important and exciting era with new men’s and women’s calendars and competitions and expanded Rugby World Cups within a clear growth mandate, Nicky will bring her passion, expertise and collaborative approach to helping targeted unions achieve their potential, raising the competitiveness of the global game and ultimately unlocking new revenue opportunities for all.”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
Hellhound 39 minutes ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

14 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 55 minutes ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

Not bizarre, but needed. Everyone usually lifts their game against the Boks. Now instead of facing reality, they prefer to live in the past and look hopefully toward the score of the WC semi, hoping they can recreate that result and by some miracle snatch a victory.


It's better than the alternative knowing what is going to happen. Especially looking at the experimental squads the Boks put up against the Wallabies in the RC, not using their best team. That same Wallabies beat them last week.


Now the Boks isn't using an experimental squad. They put out as close to the strongest team the Boks have available at the moment. That must scare the pants off of them. If an experimental squad can destroy the Wallabies, what would the strongest team be able to do to the English?


Instead of sinking into dispear, they prefer to hope that their players can match the Boks. Even though they know what is coming. The English are scared and they won't show it.


Now imagine how Wales must feel knowing they are up next weekend? They don't even have the dubious record of at least close losses like the English. It's a complete nightmare for these 2 countries and rightly so.


The Boks usually take the pedal of the medal post WC's, but not this Bok team. They are better than the WC winning Boks of both '19 and '23. They are stronger up front. They are faster at the back. They can hit front and back. In broken play they are the most dangerous team. They have the best defence and attack also scoring the most tries.


In a way I feel sorry for both the English and Wales. Only those with blinders on expects a close game. Looking at both teams man to man, strategy to strategy, play to play, they are so outmatched it would be a joke if it wasn't so serious. We need the NH to be strong and we need the gap to become closer in rugby so the game stay exciting because runaway scores sometimes is fun, but it doesn't bring as much joy as a close game won.

14 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Who gives a crap?' Animosity towards the Springboks is proof of their dominance 'Who gives a crap?' Animosity towards the Springboks is proof of their dominance
Search