Former England rugby international Maggie Alphonsi has said women's sport cannot allow itself to stop growing after a period of accelerated progress in recent years.
Alphonsi was in Dublin on Tuesday for the Lidl National Football League season launch, taking part in a panel that discussed new research spotlighting the importance of developing and elevating Irish female sporting role models.
After bringing the curtain down on a brilliant playing career, Alphonsi moved into broadcasting. In 2015 she became the first ever former female player to commentate on a men's rugby game as part of ITV's World Cup coverage.
"I think the change and the pace has gone I guess at the right speed, but at the same time I think we're in the stage now where it’s accelerating, which has been great," said the Englishwoman.
"Now when we’re talking about broadcasters, there’s such a range of broadcasters out there, lots more women working in the industry. We’re now starting to see much more visibility of women’s sports – Gaelic football, women’s rugby, women’s cricket, women’s tennis – all of that, you’re now starting to see it. And the crowds are there, you know.
"So the pace has been good, I want to see it keep going. Maybe that’s the greed in me, but I truly believe that when it comes to women’s sport we cannot stop, we cannot accept where we currently are right now.
"It’s about ensuring that we get more people to come and watch women’s sport, be part of it, follow those athletes. It’s about getting good allies; we want to see more men, and women obviously, come and watch."
"Those athletes are controlling their own narrative, we're starting to see them, hear about them."
Ciara Mageean and broadcaster Kelly Cates were part of the panel at Croke Park.
All three espoused the importance of visibilty when it comes to the promotion of women's sport, with Alphonsi confident it's easier to platform talent now compared to the past.
"The variety of athletes that are now visible is so much more significant than what it was (15 years ago)," she said.
"Women’s football is only starting to come through. It’s slowly starting to edge its way through. We were at the mercy of the media showing them.
"What’s great now is, we’ve got media still, but at the same time we’ve also got social media. Those athletes are controlling their own narrative, we’re starting to see them, hear about them.
"People don’t engage in certain sports if they don’t know who they are watching, if they’re unaware of their names or what journey they’ve been on. We need to do better at telling their story."
The next major event circled in Alphonsi is the women's Rugby World Cup, which takes place in England this August and September.
"The last time it was in England was back in 2010," she added. "I think we had one venue and there wasn't many people that came to watch it. Now the interest is there.
"I do hope that we break and smash records. The final is going to be played at Twickenham Stadium, and I do believe we can get 89,000 people. We saw it with regards to the women’s Euros in the football, and with England obviously getting to the final and winning that.
"That’s what we want for women's sport. We’re all together. If one sport is doing really well we lift each other."
