World Rugby has set a target of having 25% per cent of all coaching and performance roles with the 16 teams at the 2025 World Cup filled by women.
The announcement comes days after a record crowd of 58,498 watched England beat France 38-33 to win a fifth consecutive Tik Tok Six Nations title, and six months after 42,579 spectators packed into Eden Park to see New Zealand defeat the Red Roses in the World Cup final.
It also comes as the IRFU and Irish rugby face into another period of uncertainty in the women's game, with head coach Greg McWilliams expected to resign after a Wooden Spoon campaign in the Six Nations, issues with the viability of domestic competitions, as well as accusations of institutional sexism.
World Rugby's head of women’s rugby Sally Horrox said: "We should recognise that it’s a moment in time.
"It’s come six months on the back of a record-breaking World Cup, so for me it’s that momentum and people acknowledging and recognising the value and the potential of the game on more than just one occasion when a World Cup comes around.
"But I would hate people to think it just happened overnight. It’s been building for a while, but with that sort of visibility and fans buying tickets, then people start to recognise value; that unlocks fans and revenue which then unlocks investment which means it does kick us on to a new place.
"That’s what ground-breaking attendances like that more regularly can do for the game – as well as just allowing [the top players] and the people that are following them just to have the right level of attention and the showcase that they deserve as brilliant athletes, which shouldn’t ever forget that."
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