Rugby is a brutal, beautiful game. It's built on a foundation of mud, sweat, and frankly, a lot of physical contact that most people would find terrifying. But there is this weird, recurring cultural phenomenon that pops up every few years that has nothing to do with scrums or lineouts. I'm talking about the calendars. You've probably seen them—nude women rugby players posing for charity, often covered in strategically placed dirt or holding a Gilbert ball to keep things "modest."
It’s easy to dismiss this as just some cheeky marketing or a relic of early 2000s sports culture. But if you actually look at the history of these shoots, it’s kinda complicated. It’s not just about getting people to click on a provocative headline. For many of these athletes, stripping down is a weirdly effective way to talk about body image, funding gaps, and the sheer physicality of being a woman in a sport that was designed for men.
The Oxford and Cardiff calendars that started it all
Back in the day, the Oxford University Women’s Rugby Football Club (OUWRFC) and the Cardiff University ladies' team basically broke the internet before that was even a common phrase. They weren't doing it for fame. They were doing it because women's rugby has historically been broke. Seriously. While the men's teams often enjoy deep pockets and legacy sponsorships, the women are frequently left hunting for spare change to cover travel costs for away games or to pay for basic kit.
The Oxford 2016 calendar is a classic example. They posed to raise money for Beat, a charity supporting people with eating disorders. That’s a heavy topic for a nude calendar. But the players argued that rugby is one of the few sports where your body size doesn't define your value. You need the powerhouse props who are built like tanks and the lightning-fast wingers who are lean and wiry. By stripping down, they were showing off the bruises, the muscle, and the "imperfections" that make them elite athletes.
It wasn't just Oxford. The Cardiff University team did a similar shoot for Copper’s Charity, raising thousands for breast cancer research. These aren't professional models. They are students and athletes. The photos are usually shot in the freezing cold on a pitch in the middle of Wales or England. If you’ve ever tried to look "graceful" while naked in 40-degree weather with a rugby ball, you know it’s less about glamour and more about endurance.
Why the controversy never really goes away
Not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Some critics argue that nude women rugby players doing calendars actually sets the sport back. The argument goes like this: if you want people to respect you as an athlete, why are you selling your body to get their attention?
Honestly, it’s a fair question.
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World Rugby and various national unions have had a "complicated" relationship with these calendars. Sometimes they are seen as empowering; other times, they are seen as a distraction from the actual game. But here is the reality: a photo of a woman making a try-saving tackle often gets less engagement than a photo of that same woman posing for a charity calendar. That’s a systemic issue with how we consume sports, not necessarily a fault of the players themselves.
The players often describe the experience as "liberating." Take the "Game Grime" calendars or the various Australian club shoots. These women spend all day being told to be "ladylike" in their daily lives, then they go out and smash into each other for 80 minutes. The calendar is a middle ground. It’s a way to reclaim their bodies from both the "delicate" stereotype and the "masculine" athlete stereotype.
Real talk about the "body positive" narrative
We hear the phrase "body positivity" a lot. It's basically a buzzword now. But in rugby, it hits different.
Most sports demand a very specific body type. If you're a gymnast, you're small. If you're a basketball player, you're tall. If you're a rugby player, you could be anything. There is a position for the girl who is 250 pounds and a position for the girl who is 120 pounds. When these teams do nude shoots, they are putting that diversity on display.
- The Props: These are the powerhouses. They have thick legs and broad shoulders. In a "normal" beauty shoot, they might feel out of place. In a rugby calendar, they are the stars.
- The Scars: Rugby leaves marks. Stitches, turf burn, cauliflower ear. These calendars don't usually Photoshop those out. They are badges of honor.
- The Consent: Unlike many "nude" photoshoots in the media, these are almost always player-led. They choose the photographer, they choose the poses, and they choose where the money goes.
Control matters.
The funding gap is the real "naked" truth
Let’s be real for a second. If women’s rugby was funded the same way as the men’s game, would these calendars exist? Probably not.
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The most famous "nude" sports issue is the ESPN Body Issue. It features superstars like Serena Williams or Megan Rapinoe. But for a local club in rural England or a university team in the US, they don't have ESPN's budget. They have a local photographer who's willing to work for free and a printer who will give them a discount.
The money raised from these calendars often goes toward:
- Subsidizing membership fees for low-income players.
- Buying new sets of jerseys (which can cost thousands).
- Funding tours to play international teams.
- Direct donations to local hospitals or mental health charities.
It’s a "needs-must" situation. You do what works. And historically, calendars work.
What about the men?
Funny enough, men’s rugby teams do this all the time too. The Dieux du Stade (Gods of the Stadium) calendar featuring French rugby players is legendary. It’s been running since the early 2000s and is arguably more "explicit" than most women's calendars.
But the reaction is usually different. People see the men's version as a celebration of peak physical fitness. When women do it, it becomes a debate about feminism, objectification, and "decorum." This double standard is exactly what many nude women rugby players say they are trying to highlight. If a flanker from Stade Français can pose with nothing but a strategically placed thumb, why is it "scandalous" when a scrum-half from Bristol does the same for a cancer charity?
How to actually support the sport (without the gimmicks)
If you’re reading this because you’re interested in the athletes behind the photos, the best thing you can do isn't just buying a calendar once a year. The women's game is at a massive turning point right now.
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Professionalism is finally trickling down. The PWR (Premiership Women's Rugby) in England and the growth of the WXV tournament are changing the landscape. We are seeing more "serious" sponsorship deals that don't rely on players taking their clothes off. This is a good thing. It means the sport is being valued for the talent on the pitch.
However, the grassroots level will always struggle. Those local clubs are the heartbeat of the game. They are where the next generation of Red Roses or Black Ferns are born. If they need to do a cheeky calendar to keep the lights on, more power to them.
Actionable insights for fans and clubs
If you are a fan of the game or part of a club looking to navigate this, here is the "non-corporate" way to handle it.
For Clubs considering a calendar:
- Keep it internal first. Ensure every single player is 100% on board. If one person feels pressured, the whole thing is a disaster.
- Pick a cause that fits. Don't just do it for "funds." Link it to a charity that resonates with the team’s values. It makes the "why" much stronger when critics come knocking.
- Focus on the athlete, not the 'model'. The best photos are the ones that show the strength of the sport. Action shots (even if posed) usually land better than "pin-up" style photos.
For Fans who want to help:
- Buy the merch, not just the calendar. Check if your local women's team has training tops or scarves for sale.
- Show up to a match. Seriously. Nothing helps a team more than "bums in seats." High attendance numbers lead to better sponsorship deals, which eventually makes "fundraising calendars" a choice rather than a necessity.
- Follow the players. Many of the women who have participated in these shoots, like those from the various university leagues, are vocal advocates for the sport. Give them a platform for their skills, not just their photos.
Rugby is a game of grit. Whether the players are in full kit or posing for a calendar, that grit is what defines them. The "scandal" of nude women rugby players is mostly just noise. The real story is a group of athletes doing whatever it takes to support their team and their community.
To see the real impact, look at the donation totals on the "About" pages of clubs like Oxford or Cardiff. That's the legacy. The photos are just the hook. The money raised for cancer research, mental health, and youth sports programs is the actual win.
Go to a local game this weekend. Bring a friend. Pay the gate fee. That’s how you keep the sport nakedly honest about its needs while helping it grow into the professional powerhouse it deserves to be.