The plan was based on research conducted in 2020, from which the union made a commitment to improving inclusion and diversity within the game, and focussed on four areas: Game Play, Game Leadership, Fans, Followers and Partners and, Employees and Board.

Detailing targets and actions, the plan focuses on understanding the experiences of people in the game, creating awareness of the cultural change required and the opportunities that exist, gaining insights from which to build targeted interventions designed to improve and evolve the game of rugby union in England and delivering education and training.

Within the plan’s first two years we have:

• Gained valuable insight to provide a benchmark and information for action, via our community I&D survey, first launched in 2021. Combined, we have had almost 10,000 responses since its inception.
• More diverse leadership with 42% women (currently at 50%) and 17% ethnically diverse board members, 41% females (up from 38%) and 9% (up from 4%) ethnically diverse executive and leadership team members.
• Appointed 30 I&D leads across our Constituent Bodies ensuring a network of volunteers with an interest in I&D to support two-way communication between the RFU and the game. 
• Co-opted five new members onto Council as part of the process to widen the inclusion and diversity of Council. 
• Seen fan interest share rise from 32% to 37% amongst low socio-economic groups, as well as incremental rises amongst women and girls and ethnically diverse communities. 
• Launched Rugby United, to engage young black and South Asian communities with the aim to sustain a long-term involvement in rugby. The programme aims to have 10,000 people involved over time. 
• Used the findings of elite game research into racism and classism and the impact of Luther Burrell’s experiences to focus and accelerate work that was already underway, to listen to the experiences of those in all elite rugby clubs and to agree an action plan, launched in April 2023, driven collaboratively by RFU, PRL, PWR and RPA. Two elite game I&D surveys have been launched, providing insights from over 1,000 individuals, providing us with a baseline of the experiences of inclusion and discrimination in the game.
• Developed education for a wide range of audiences including the community game explaining the forms of discrimination that exist, their impact and ways they manifest themselves in our game.  Developed and rolled out active bystander training to build confidence and de-normalise poor and abusive language and actions to clubs, Constituent Bodies, RFU staff, Council and senior England teams. In addition, bespoke rugby programmes focussed on behavioural change have been designed. 

Full details of the actions taken and targets set within the plan are available to read within the Inclusion and Diversity Mid-Term Impact Report. 

Bill Sweeney, RFU CEO said: “Inclusivity is critical to our purpose, our strategic objectives and is at the heart of building a successful and thriving game across England that is open to all.

“It is the thread that runs through our values, both for those who enjoy our game already, and those we are taking the game to. ​

“It speaks to the culture we are striving to build, and our ability to foster diversity throughout the game, which in turn will help future proof rugby union in England.

“This impact report reflects on our Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan’s initial two years, so that we can reflect and continue to make progress. We have achieved a lot in a short period of time but there is plenty more that we intend to do and that needs to be done.

“We must ensure that there are no barriers to people being welcomed into our sport, that those who play the game today are having a positive and inclusive experience, and that their voices are being heard.”