Dublin, May 9 (IANS): World Rugby has launched a new, online women coaching toolkit to assist unions and regional associations in recruiting, developing and retaining more female rugby coaches at every level of the game.

The toolkit is designed to create a robust framework and pathway to address barriers facing women in rugby. Women currently make up 25 per cent of the rugby playing population worldwide.

While the toolkit is aimed at increasing the number of female rugby coaches, the information and tactics can equally be applied to generic coach and workforce development across the game at every level, said World Rugby.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: "Women currently make up 25 per cent of the rugby playing population and so should be represented in all areas of the game worldwide."

"We understand that, at present, there are disproportionate levels of women in coaching and we are committed to making change in this important area, working with our member unions to increase diversity in coaching at all levels globally."

World Rugby General Manager of Women's Rugby Katie Sadleir said: "The development of the toolkit was one of the key recommendations in the 2018 Women in High Performance Coaching report, led by World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Carol Isherwood, with its purpose to assist unions in creating more global diversity in coaching teams and increase the number of women coaching rugby at elite level."

"However, the toolkit can also act as a ‘cultural change kit' to create pathways for unions to start understanding their organisational unconscious bias and the steps necessary to make constructive change. The interventions, approaches and innovative ways of working can be applied to the whole game," she added.