Performance first, athletes second: Experiences of menstrual cycle management in elite women's rugby union

Owen, Hannah, Brown, Nicola, Legg, Hayley S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4995-2091 and Winter, Stacy (2026) Performance first, athletes second: Experiences of menstrual cycle management in elite women's rugby union. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 34 (1). doi:10.1123/wspaj.2026-0035

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Abstract

Menstrual cycle-related symptoms can impede an athlete’s training and performance. Stigma often restricts open discussion, prompting practitioners to rely on generic menstrual cycle tracking tools to optimize female athletes’ health and performance. This study aims to explore the perceived effectiveness of menstrual cycle management practices within elite women’s rugby union across multiple nations, premiership clubs, and national governing bodies. One semi-structured interview was conducted with 12 current elite international female rugby union players. Through reflexive thematic analysis, three themes were identified: (a) System-level challenges captured a top-down approach that exposed a clear disconnect between organizational systems and menstrual-cycle management; (b) Performance first, athletes second revealed persistent contradictions in resource allocation and staff engagement, reinforcing a culture that prioritized performance at any cost; and (c) Masked determination captured a culture whereby athletes felt obliged to endure menstrual-cycle challenges, reinforcing both silence and the expectation to appear unaffected. The findings highlighted a lack of consistent and meaningful menstrual cycle support, with athletes’ well-being frequently suppressed to performance priorities. Staff involvement was limited, and structural accountability for menstrual health remained minimal, while stigma, performance pressure, and discomfort, especially with male staff, pushed athletes to hide symptoms and manage them alone. Together, these findings underscore the need for evidence-based, athlete-centered guidelines and comprehensive staff education to build a more informed, supportive, and inclusive high-performance environment.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports > GV0712 Athletic contests. Sports events Q Science > QP Physiology > QP301.H75 Physiology. Sport R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education, Health and Sciences
Depositing User:	Hayley Legg
Date Deposited:	04 Nov 2026 11:29
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2026 11:30
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/16431

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