Happy person, happy player — meet the woman helping the Red Roses flourish off the pitch

The RPA’s Lynsey Hyslop tells The Independent about her role as England’s player development manager and how the best women’s rugby team in the world are thriving outside of the sport, too

England enjoy excellent support off the pitch (Getty Images)

While their remarkable dominance of the Women’s Six Nations is proof enough that the Red Roses are leading the way on the field, England are intent on setting standards off it, too. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is committed to continuing to back their side away from the pitch, with a larger, more diverse coaching team and improved contracts setting them up for success.

But away from rugby, elite female players in England can count on extra support, too. For the first time, the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) have a player development manager embedded within the set-up. With strong support from the RFU, Lynsey Hyslop is in camp throughout this campaign helping players pursue goals and flourish as people off the pitch.

“The impression I’ve got is that John Mitchell and the new coaching staff have a holistic way of looking at the player,” Hyslop explains to The Independent. “They want the player to be the best they can be, and Mitch seems to believe in happy person, happy player. When a player’s life can be consumed by rugby, to be able to have a conversation about something else can be a positive for them.”

A mother of two children, Hyslop has worked for the RPA for more than a decade, primarily managing the Gain Line programme at Northampton Saints and Leicester. But after returning from her second period of maternity leave seeking a new challenge, this new role was “a perfect fit”.

Lynsey Hyslop is aiming to help Red Roses players pursue goals and flourish as people off the pitch (Getty Images)

Historically, a player development manager would drop in and out of camp, but Hyslop’s extended time with the squad enables her to better cultivate relationships with the players, having more informal discussions and ensuring that it feels less of a chore. Building trust is key given the nature of the role.

“England rugby were open to having an ingrained PDM offering dedicated support while in camp – the RPA hasn’t done that in the men’s game, so we didn’t have a blueprint. But it was a great opportunity to work with the players.

“Having these off-the-cuff conversations and being in camp seems a lot more productive. It’s not always a case of: ‘can I meet you at 11 o’clock to go through your personal development plan?’ We still do those, but it’s much more informal.

“A lot of the work we do can be quite sensitive. We are talking about their lives outside of being a rugby player, and that’s not necessarily an easy conversation to have with elite athletes. And then there are the wellbeing aspects – injuries, selection, contracts. If I don’t have that relationship with players, it is hard conversation for them to have with me.”

There is not a one-size-fits-all approach here given the contrasting pursuits each member of the squad has. “If your narrative is that you want to make a change in women’s sport, can you utilise that while you are playing, or turn your hand to being in the media? Or the total opposite – if you are from a farming background, is there something you could explore that can enhance the family farm? It’s finding purpose in things outside of rugby.”

Red Roses head coach John Mitchell has been supportive of the work (Getty Images)

The RPA is aiming to do more within Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), too. The organisation is looking at ways to change their practices to support the largely part-time squads within the English top flight. The perception of female rugby players has changed dramatically over the last decade and Hyslop is hopeful that will create more opportunities.

“They are elite athletes with incredible talents. It is trying to tap into that. They are becoming more well-known and the brand is growing, but there is still a lot to be done. There are more opportunities in the media and coaching, but not everyone wants to stay within sport.

“In PWR, there are thoughts from players of wanting to pursue rugby but fearing that they have to put their career on hold. We don’t want them to stagnate – how can we help them maintain their level outside of rugby so that when they finish playing, you can jump back in. You sit down and chat to someone who is, for example, a full-time dentist and then comes into camp with the Red Roses.

The RPA hopes to do more work within Premiership Women’s Rugby (Getty Images)

“For me, one of my roles is to open up an awareness of what else is out there, open up the doors to new careers. There are circumstances of inequality there, but there are some positive differences and opportunities, too.

“It’s looking at options and educating businesses to what female players can offer. They already have an interest in rugby so, for example, could partners sponsors of the men’s game open up opportunities to the girls? They’re talented, it doesn’t matter if they are men or women – they’re all elite athletes. But it’s important to note that the female players have talents in their own right, so it’s building on the education of that and creating tailored opportunities for them."

The ultimate goal is to make sure that players are prepared for life after playing. Across both men’s and women’s rugby, individuals are all too aware that it is a short career that will not set themselves up for life.

For many in the England squad who spent at least part of their international career as amateurs or part-time players, having another string or two to one’s bow comes relatively naturally – but Hyslop is on hand to help regardless of what stage an individual is at.

“There are a lot more unexpected career transitions in the elite women’s game than the elite men’s game. Players know that [it can be a short career], but for us it is providing that constant support, and wanting a player to choose the time when they leave. It is allowing yourself to have that choice and, not knowing when that choice will come, to be preparing for it, whatever it looks like.

Sarah Hunter has become an England coach after concluding her playing career (Getty Images)

“The timing for me is fantastic to be riding this wave with the girls. I’m very much into utilising who you are now to explore opportunities. They are a really nice group of players and there are conversations with them about how to build them as a person and a brand in their own right. It is for me to try to harness that, see where their talents and skills can fit off the pitch.

“It’s about preparing for life after rugby, but also enjoying it and making the most of it. Say yes to things, try it, and that might actually be your purpose.”