Eight years. That’s how long Ireland’s women have waited to return to the Rugby World Cup. When we sealed qualification on April 28th, 2024 – beating Scotland to claim third place in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations – the celebrations were only the beginning. Planning started the very next day.
I read with interest the recent opinion piece asking whether brands are going to “let another opportunity pass them by” ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. As Communications Director for Irish Rugby, I’d like to offer another perspective. The question isn’t if brands will support this team. They already are. The question is when that message
will hit with maximum impact.
From early June, when the team gathered for prep camps, our strategy was clear:
– June: build anticipation quietly, without saturating the conversation.
– July: highlight warm-up matches and key milestones.
– August: unleash full campaigns, rallying national pride when the country’s eyes turn to rugby.
Our partners such as Aon, Vodafone, Energia, Aldi, Opel, Canterbury, Bank of Ireland and others – have been engaged for months. Campaigns are locked in, media booked, ambassadors briefed. Every week, our commercial team works with them to ensure their investment amplifies the game at the right moment.
Some might call this “holding fire”. We call it strategy. In a summer packed with women’s sport – from the All-Ireland Camogie and Ladies Football Finals to the Women’s Euros – timing matters. The Green Wave will crest on August 24th, when Ireland run out against Japan in Northampton. And it will keep rolling into September.
The brand support for the Green Wave is coming. And it will be visible, emotional, and worth the wait. The players have been preparing for years. The moment is nearly here. Now the Green Wave is ready to go.
We are deeply grateful to the companies already backing the women’s game. Irish Rugby is a not-for-profit – these partnerships help fund the sport at every level. If you believe in the power of rugby to inspire, now is the time to join us.
Author: Aoife Clarke is Director of Communications at Irish Rugby Football Union.
