The inaugural 2024 Impact Beyond Summit, organized by World Rugby (www.worldrugby.com), the international governing body of rugby, will take place in Stellenbosch, South Africa from Thursday, October 3 to Saturday, October 5.
This historic event positions Africa as the inaugural host in a series of six regional summits designed to enhance the women’s game globally, while empowering member unions with inspirational and practical initiatives.
With the growing audience for women’s sports, gender gaps remain, the summit is a key component of World Rugby’s global impact plan to create a platform for dialogue and action on critical gender-based topics.
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Attendees will explore themes such as gender equity and equality in rugby, pathways for girls and women in the sport, and innovative fundraising strategies. The event emphasizes the need to drive gender equity and provide strategic tools to advance women’s rugby at all levels.
Hosted at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in partnership with UK Sport (https://www.uksport.gov.uk), UK’s trusted high-performance experts, the summit will bring together representatives from six unions across Africa such as South Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Tunisia. Each union has nominated two female delegates as Impact Champions, who will receive mentorships and coaching and an exclusive opportunity to attend the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.
Madagascar National team performing haka
Scheduled speakers at the 2024 Impact Beyond Summit include prominent figures such as Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, Nicky Ponsford, Director of High Performance at World Rugby, Dame Katherine Grainger, Olympic medallist and member of UK Sport, representatives from ChildFund Rugby (https://www.childfundrugby.org) and Brad Guymer from First National Bank, sponsor of the Springbok men’s and women’s teams.
As the countdown for the 2025 England Women’s Rugby World Cup begins, World Rugby and Rugby Africa (https://www.rugbyafrique.com), the governing body of rugby across Africa, continues its mission to empower women in the sport. The Impact Beyond Summit demonstrates the dedication to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for rugby worldwide, featuring hands-on workshops designed to engage delegates directly.
