The former No 8 – known as Bird – captained her country 62 times and became the first woman to be elected to the Welsh Rugby Union’s board in November last year.
She hopes to help women’s rugby continue to flourish – among other things – but admits the Coronavirus pandemic has had and will continue to have a big impact on the game in Wales.
“It’s amazing to be on the WRU board and something I never, ever dreamed of,” Burgess said. “It’s a huge honour, but also a responsibility to look after and develop our national game.
“I’ve been able to see Welsh rugby from two sides and I now realise the amount of work which does go on in the WRU. It’s got its critics obviously, but what the WRU are doing and have done throughout this pandemic shows the true support and guidance that is in place for everyone involved in rugby throughout Wales. There is also so much work going on behind the scenes to help the women’s game in Wales and it’s fantastic that the WRU has committed to significantly increased investment for the development of women’s rugby.
“A new, female-specific, world-leading coaching structure for the national 15s and 7-a-side programmes will be appointed soon which will help narrow the gap with leading nations.”
The WRU has made strides to improve female representation on their governance structures.
Welsh rugby’s Professional Rugby Board – made up of WRU representatives and a member of all four regions – is chaired by the widely respected Amanda Blanc.
Head of rugby operations Julie Paterson is a key figure at the top of both the WRU and World Rugby while in 2015 the WRU co-opted businesswoman Aileen Richards.
“It’s great to have diversity on the board. I only joined in October and the current situation has made things difficult, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the role,” Burgess said. “I’ve been given a great insight and I’m another voice on disability, diversity, women and girls and the community game.
“In my past role as a teacher I was involved in high-end, strategic decision making. It’s a different thing completely when you go into a boardroom.
“When I’m asked my opinion, I give it and it’s great to see women in that environment. Julie Paterson, Amanda Blanc and Aileeen Richards bring a wealth of experience and are hugely successful businesswomen in their own right so to have them on the board is really great.”
Burgess still works full-time as a coach at Hartpury University and feels the increasing women’s representation at the WRU must be replicated at World Rugby level.
“It’s been great to see the WRU creating opportunities for women and rightly so,” she said.
“Rugby needs to increase its diversity to represent the population playing the game and the WRU and the clubs want to do that too. World Rugby has been making great strides too and they’ve placed a great deal of importance and published papers on the benefits of diversity in the boardroom. Rugby is a game for everyone – not just males and it’s important we reflect the people playing the game. In my experience the WRU and clubs are beginning to embrace this.
“They want to change and do the right thing which is great and it’s important that continues.”
