Deborah Griffin is a pioneer of the growth of women's rugby, both in England and globally.

Biography

Griffin took up the sport of rugby at University College London. She played in the first game of Women’s rugby in England against King’s College London in March 1978. In 1984, Deborah captained the first Women’s club side in England at Finchley RFC. After 2 years, the team moved to Richmond RFC, after the Finchley RFC refused to admit female members. Deborah was one of the founding members of the Women’s Rugby Football Union in 1983. She also was one of the principal organisers of the

1991 Women's Rugby World Cup The 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup was the first Women's Rugby World Cup. The tournament was not approved by the International Rugby Board (IRB), yet it still went ahead despite the disapproval of the sport's governing body. France confirmed their ...

, the first ever Women's Rugby World Cup, which was run despite having no support or financial backing from the

International Rugby Board World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international competit ...

. Griffin later became the first female elected board member of the England

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...

in 2014. Griffin was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE) in the

2011 Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 11 June 2011 in the United Kingdom,United Kingdom: New Zealand,Women's Rugby World Cup The Women's Rugby World Cup is the women's rugby union world championship which is organised by World Rugby. The first Rugby World Cup for women was held in 1991, but it was not until the 1998 tournament that the tournament received official b ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, were inducted into the

World Rugby Hall of Fame The World Rugby Hall of Fame (formerly the IRB Hall of Fame) recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The World Rugby Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and othe ...

in a special ceremony during the

2021 Rugby World Cup The 2021 Rugby World Cup was the ninth staging of the Rugby World Cup (women), women's Rugby World Cup, as organised by World Rugby. It was held from 8 October to 12 November 2022 in Auckland and Whangārei, New Zealand. It was originally sche ...

semi-finals at Eden Park on 5 November 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Deborah Living people English rugby union players English female rugby union players Officers of the Order of the British Empire Year of birth missing (living people) World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees