Public lecture: Tackling the Gap: Medical Equity and Women’s Rugby

Karen Jones—former England Rugby international and Emergency Medicine Consultant who now works as England Rugby Clinical Services Lead and Gloucester Rugby Club Doctor—brings a unique and powerful perspective delivered this NCSEM public lecture in September 2025.

With over 30 caps for England and a medical career that has run parallel to her time on the pitch, Karen offers rare insight into the physical and systemic demands placed on women in elite sport. Karen chairs the RFU steering group on Female Rugby Athlete Health, leading on the delivery of the RFU’s female health commitments.

In this talk, Karen explored the evolving landscape of women’s rugby through the lens of athlete health and wellbeing. Drawing on her lived experience and clinical expertise, she examined the challenges female athletes face in accessing equitable medical support, the importance of tailored health research, and the cultural shifts needed to ensure that women’s sport is not just visible—but sustainable and safe. Karen will also reflect on the increasing awareness of the impact that female health conditions have on rugby athletes, and the innovative approaches needed to raise awareness, provide education and ensure athletes have access to support when required.

As the women’s game continues to grow, Karen reflects on how far it has come, what still needs to change, and how sport science, policy, and leadership can work together to support the next generation of athletes.

This lecture forms part of a wider programme of activity aligned with the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and Loughborough University’s Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub, which together aim to spotlight health, wellbeing, and equity in women’s sport through research, policy, and partnership.

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