Welsh and World Rugby’s trailblazing women

Ruggiero is one of the world’s most decorated ice hockey players – a gold-medal winning four-time Olympian with a record number of international appearances for Team USA, who became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. She is the only woman on World Rugby’s executive committee.

World Rugby’s supreme decision-making body is its council and 18 of the 52 representatives are women.

“I think of all the little girls that saw me play hockey and picked up a stick and a puck and went out and tried… playing and fighting through the taunting and the name-calling,” said Ruggiero.

“I love the sport and I take the same approach to any other trailblazing thing that I might do in the business world now because it’s not a burden, it’s an honour and a way to set the tone. I certainly learned from many before me.

“I’ve always said if you can see it. You can be it.”

What change do you want to see?

“With the World Cup and the Olympics around the corner, 2021 is a big year for women’s rugby. Being on the board I’ll continue to encourage investment in the women’s game.

“I would welcome Wales to continue to think about new ways that they can evolve the women’s game, invest in the women’s game. Getting more girls and women to pick up a ball and want to play. Getting them exposure to rugby and letting them know that it’s okay to play rugby. The future is female in a lot of ways.

“Sport isn’t just about sport, it’s about teaching young boys and young girls about life through rugby – about team-work and setting goals. They get to be a part of that amazing culture that rugby has and that team game that they’ll hopefully apply to the rest of their life.

“I’m just happy rugby exists and that it’s opening its doors in more meaningful ways to the women’s game.”

Listen to more exclusive interviews on the BBC Scrum V podcast on BBC Sounds.