Hall of Fame welcomes women

Nathalie Amiel (France), Gill Burns (England), Patty Jervey (USA), Carol Isherwood (England), Anna Richardspictured(New Zealand) and Farah Palmer (New Zealand) were all inducted.

There have been growing calls for the IRB to recognise women as part of its long established Hall of Fame programme and plans have been underway for some time by the governing body to do so. Indeed four of the six women inducted tonight were mentioned by Scrumqueens.com as possible inductees ina letter to IRB CEO Brett Gosperearlier this year as part of International Women's Day.

Four of the six females inducted are Women’s Rugby World Cup winners from Jervey at the inaugural tournament in 1991 to Richards winning a fourth title in a row with the Black Ferns in 2010, while Amiel coached France to third place at the 2014 edition on home soil in August.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “It is particularly pleasing to be able to induct the first women into the IRB Hall of Fame. These six were wonderful players and, in many ways, trail-blazers for the women’s game in their countries and around the world. We saw the success of the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year in France and it is doubtful that would have been possible if not for the pioneering spirit of those great players and personalities that went before."

All six women have played pivotal roles on and off the field in the women's game.

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Nathalie Amiel (France)Gill Burns (England)Patty Jervey (USA)Carol Isherwood (England)Anna Richards (New Zealand)Farah Palmer (New Zealand)