49 min

Ali Donnelly: The real story of women's rugby The Game Changers

    • Sports

Ali Donnelly is Executive Director of Digital, Marketing and Communications at Sport England.  
She is a former Senior Civil Servant, who worked at Downing Street where she was the Prime Minister's Deputy Official Spokesperson and the Head of News.
Ali was previously Head of Communications at Premiership Rugby club Wasps and has also worked in media and public affairs roles at the BBC have started her career as a journalist at the Evening Echo newspaper in Ireland. 
A passionate women's rugby fan and campaigner Ali also runs the award-winning website Scrumqueens and is Director of Women's Rugby at Teddington and a member of the RFU’s Rugby Growth Committee. Her new book is called:  'Scrum Queens - The History of Women's Rugby'. 
Along with exploring Ali’s career pathway in sport and business, we review the current state of play for women’s rugby and the potential with 2025 World Cup on the horizon in England. What more needs to change for equality in women’s sport and to ensure young women don’t stop being active in their teenage age years?
Thanks to Sport England who support The Game Changers through the National Lottery.
Abbie Ward. A Bump in the Road  a powerful documentary, chronicles the remarkable journey of an England rugby player as she battles back to the professional game just 17 weeks after the birth of her baby in July 2023 and then to secure her place back in England’s Six Nations squad for 2024. Watch now UK on ITVX: https://www.itv.com/watch/abbie-ward-a-bump-in-the-road/10a5679a0001BWorldwide on RugbyPass TV: https://rugbypass.tv/video/6069
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.

Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers

Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media

A Fearless Women production

Ali Donnelly is Executive Director of Digital, Marketing and Communications at Sport England.  
She is a former Senior Civil Servant, who worked at Downing Street where she was the Prime Minister's Deputy Official Spokesperson and the Head of News.
Ali was previously Head of Communications at Premiership Rugby club Wasps and has also worked in media and public affairs roles at the BBC have started her career as a journalist at the Evening Echo newspaper in Ireland. 
A passionate women's rugby fan and campaigner Ali also runs the award-winning website Scrumqueens and is Director of Women's Rugby at Teddington and a member of the RFU’s Rugby Growth Committee. Her new book is called:  'Scrum Queens - The History of Women's Rugby'. 
Along with exploring Ali’s career pathway in sport and business, we review the current state of play for women’s rugby and the potential with 2025 World Cup on the horizon in England. What more needs to change for equality in women’s sport and to ensure young women don’t stop being active in their teenage age years?
Thanks to Sport England who support The Game Changers through the National Lottery.
Abbie Ward. A Bump in the Road  a powerful documentary, chronicles the remarkable journey of an England rugby player as she battles back to the professional game just 17 weeks after the birth of her baby in July 2023 and then to secure her place back in England’s Six Nations squad for 2024. Watch now UK on ITVX: https://www.itv.com/watch/abbie-ward-a-bump-in-the-road/10a5679a0001BWorldwide on RugbyPass TV: https://rugbypass.tv/video/6069
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.

Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers

Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media

A Fearless Women production

49 min

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