Gill Bourke was a Six Nations Grand Slam winner with Ireland but it is Rugby Australia who are now utilising the skills and knowledge of the former international hooker
Bourke played in two Women’s Rugby World Cups and won 51 caps in a seven-year international career before she retired and moved into coaching.
Having studied sports science at the University of Limerick, Bourke always had an eye for technical detail – something she now uses to help improve the current generation of players as a high performance analyst with Rugby Australia and coaching roles in Sydney’s Jack Scott Cup competition and NSW Waratahs Women.
“I’ve always been very lucky to have had really good coaches from day one when I started playing, so I’ve always wanted to give back to the next generation, and I see coaching as the next natural step to stay involved in the game,” Bourke told World Rugby.
“I work as a performance analyst, so it’s in my nature to be curious about the detail in the game and problem-solving to develop the game on the pitch.
“I also think we need more women in rugby coaching. There are so many former players who have so much knowledge about the game to give back, and I think players enjoy interacting with people who have walked the same path.”
Bourke’s thoughts chime perfectly with the Gallagher High Performance Academy WXV 2024 of which she will be a new participant, and on which she will have the opportunity to share ideas and experiences to help the development of herself and other talented female coaches.
“I hope to develop on a personal level and gain a deeper understanding of myself as a coach through the programme and interactions with other coaches,” she said.
“Embedding within a national programme will hopefully broaden my perspective of high performance and develop my knowledge around the game while also creating valuable links to the game in Australia.
“I would also like to grow connections with the other coaches and cultures from across the game.”