Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she last met the (a) Rugby Football Union and (b) Premiership Rugby; and what issues were discussed.

I met with senior RFU figures while supporting England at the opening fixture of the Women's Rugby World Cup. There I discussed the delivery of the tournament as well as other policy issues, including the demand for women’s sport, government support for women’s sport and the RFU’s legacy programme for the tournament: Impact 25. The Secretary of State and I also attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup 100 ‘Days to go’ launch event in May 2025, where we discussed tournament delivery with senior RFU figures and other stakeholders.

I met with Premiership Rugby in November 2024 to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union. Since then, my officials have engaged with Premiership Rugby regularly.