The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has become the latest domestic governing body to ban transgender women from competing in the female category in the sport.
The WRU said the decision will be implemented with immediate effect, emulating moves by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Irish Rugby Union (IRFU) among others.
It said it had come to the same conclusion “based on the best current medical and scientific evidence and in line with World Rugby guidance”.
It means only players whose sex is recorded as female at birth can compete in women’s contact rugby, updating the previous policy which theoretically allowed transgender women to play subject to testosterone tests.
The Welsh Rugby Union has become the latest domestic governing body to ban transgender women from competing in the female category
Steve Haag
The WRU said the decision will be implemented with immediate effect
Mike Egerton
In a statement the WRU said it was “committed to an ongoing review of the policy as new evidence, research and insights become available”.
Last month, the IRFU announced it was to ban transgender women and girls over the age of 12 from playing female contact rugby ahead of the forthcoming season.
The decision to limit women’s contact rugby to players whose sex was recorded female at birth was based on “medical and scientific evidence” and is in line with World Rugby guidance, the governing body said.
A statement from the IRFU said research provides evidence of male-born players having “significant” advantages in strength, stamina and physique to those born female due to male puberty, which are “retained even after testosterone suppression”.
According to the governing body, two registered players in Ireland would be affected by the policy alteration.
They have been contacted to discuss options to remain active in the sport, which include non-contact playing formats, such as tag rugby, refereeing, coaching and volunteering.