Bird and LJ welcome to the podcast Carol Isherwood, OBE.
Carol was a founder member of the women’s RFU, captain Great Britain and England international teams in their games. She was the first woman to achieve a L3 coaching award in England and was performance director of women’s rugby in England too.
As well as being awarded an OBE for services to women’s rugby, she is in the World Rugby Hall of Fame and consults for World Rugby.
They asked Carol the following questions:
Take us back to 1981 when you first set up a women’s team at Leeds University. What was it like to be a women’s rugby player back then, how hard was it to set up and get people to take Women’s rugby seriously?
You were the first secretary of the Women’s Rugby Football Union/Board When did the RFU come on board and what were the benefits of merging with them?
In 1987 you were appointed as National Coaching and development Officer then Technical Director in a voluntary role from 1987-1995 ( 8 years!). Both massive roles: What was your full-time job during this time and how did you manage both roles? (were you still playing then?)
You held a variety of coaching roles from 1992-1998 and were the first woman to receive the RFU L3 coaching Award. What was it like being the only female on the course? How have things changed for females aspiring to become coaches?
From 1997-2008 you became a paid Performance Director for the RFUW. What changes did you implement and what were you most proud of achieving in this role?
In 2009 you became lead in Rugby Performance and Governance for Scotland women’s rugby. What changes did you implement here?
You are currently a consultant for World Rugby and have set up the women’s high-performance coaching programme. What growth have you seen across the world in terms of female coaches and what needs to happen now in different countries to support this programme?
What was it like working in the FA? What was the biggest learning/ differences from working in football and rugby?
Bird and LJ caught with Rachel Lund, former England international and now a Gloucester-Hartpury player who is studying to become a physio.
They asked her about the following:
Her journey from minis player to premiership.
Combining and juggling her commitments as an international and club player whilst studying full time for a degree.
Whether she would have changed to a full-time contract if she had been offered it.
The importance of having many career options.
Her current degree in physiotherapy.
How her degree combines with her sport. MORE
Bird and LJ catch up with England Women's assistant coach, Amy Turner.
Amy played 59 times for England, at scrum-half, centre and hooker. She played in three World Cups and helped England win seven Six Nations Grand Slams.
She is currently a World Rugby intern. Formerly a police officer, she worked for the RFU as a Performance Pathway Officer and coached men's rugby too. MORE
Bird and LJ talk to Lynne Cantwell, the first high performance manager for the women’s game in South Africa.
Lynne is Ireland’s most capped (86) female rugby player. She was appointed to the South African role in February 2021. She has been a member of Sport Ireland’s board since 2019. She is also a qualified physiotherapist. MORE
Bird and LJ welcome Vicky Macqueen.
Vicky, who received a British Empire Medal for services to sport, was an England international with 34 caps, plus also representing England at 7s.
She has coach men's rugby with Hinkley, was director of women's rugby at Loughborough University, as well as coaching at Lichfield Women.
In 2015 she founded didi Rugby UK and now has franchises across the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Italy.
MORE
Bird and LJ welcome Kate Burke, Lead Pathway Analyst with England Rugby. Kate has an MSc in Sports Analysis. After working in Wales with academy teams, she moved to the RFU in 2008, working with U18s and covering the men's teams. She then joined Bath for two years as head of analysis, before returning to the RFU to oversee analysis provision across the pathway, women's, 7's and referees' departments. MORE
