From scoring a try in the Rugby World Cup Final, to calling the action first hand in the biggest international competitions, Danielle ‘Nolli’ Waterman is steadily becoming one of the top broadcasters in the modern rugby landscape.
A trailblazer within rugby media, Waterman’s persistence to keep breaking down barriers, saw her become the sport’s first female commentator for major British broadcaster ITV for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Now, as women’s rugby continues to grow at rate of knots ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, Waterman is ready provide the commentary, when her former Red Roses aim to sell out the 82,000 seats at Twickenham Stadium.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup Final is the goal for this full house. England want the stadium known as ‘HQ’ packed to the rafters, as they look to win the pinnacle competition on home soil. The current attendance record for a women’s rugby match is 58,498, when Twickenham’s bottom and middle tiers were packed for the 2023 Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider, that saw the Red Roses narrowly triumph 38-33 over France.
Nolli was apart of the record breaking crowd last May, and was moved by the passionate support behind the Red Roses. Waterman watched on with her mother, and Six Nations Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Beattie at the historic event. The former Red Roses wing believed that this nicely summarised the past and present of her career, and discussed an emotive day in South West London.
“To be honest, on a personal level that was quite emotional being in the stadium. I actually sat with Sarah from Guinness, and with my Mum, somebody that used to pay for me to go off to England training, and go to play for England. To be sat in the stadium with Mum, to experience that and also be alongside Sarah, where I’m part of the future of the Guinness Six Nations.
“It was amazing to see, I think it is absolutely on the success and growth of women’s football as well. The real acceleration of what we can all do, I think there’s part and parcel of everybody playing a part in moving sport forward, and that’s women’s sport and also the fans. The fans in the crowd were a different fan that you don’t necessarily see within a men’s international, I think that’s what was so exciting, was to see a different demographic at Twickenham, younger people, people that necessarily hadn’t had a touch point with rugby before.
“It’s such an iconic tournament, many a battle with the French that’s for sure. For that to be the match that really accelerated things, broke the record, you know, the Six Nations is a huge part of the international calendar. I have no doubt it will continue to be integral to the growth of women’s rugby as we do push towards the the home World Cup in 2025.”
Another definitive accelerator for the growth of women’s rugby, has been the announcement that Guinness will take the title sponsor for the 2024 Women’s Six Nations. Formerly the ‘2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations’, the branding now follows the iconic staple of the men’s game, having swapped the social media app for rugby’s undisputed beer, the namesake is added to become the ‘2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations’. Waterman believes that this is another strong step forward, to elevate the women’s competition’s status, up to that of ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship’.
“I think it’s huge. It’s incredibly exciting. I’ve worked with Guinness for over three years now, and the work that has gone on not behind the scenes, but not (just) as the title sponsor. They’ve been hugely passionate about creating lots of positive change within the women’s game, so this was the natural step to then take on the title sponsorship, and really accelerate and grow the work that’s already been going on with ‘never settle’, (campaign) and the partnership that they’ve had within the women’s game.
“They (Guinness) were actually the first partner (of the Women’s Six Nations) back in 2019, but I think not being the title sponsor has not necessarily shown the wider game just how much they care, and just what they’ve been doing. So, it’s amazing and I’m really excited about what’s to come.”
Nolli has made a career out of achieving historic ‘firsts’. In 2003, Waterman made her England debut at the age of just 18-years-old against Ireland, and became the youngest ever women’s player to represent the Red Roses that day. Her decorated career accolades include being named as England’s Most Promising Player in 2006, as she ventured with the Red Roses to her first Women’s Rugby World Cup Final that year.
Waterman added two Women’s Rugby World Cup silver medals, and like so many Red Roses before and after her, made arch rivals out of the triumphant Black Ferns of New Zealand. After a second runners-up medal in 2010, it was third time’s the charm for Waterman and the Red Roses, who triumphed for the title at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Waterman scored an unforgettable 33rd minute try in England’s historic 21-9 final win against Canada, and recalled this moment amongst her most treasured memories, from a decorated on-field career.
“I think so, you can’t really beat scoring in the final! The fact that Maggie (Alphonsi) passed me the ball, and when you look at who we were, and how we performed as a squad in the build up to my try, the ball went through three forwards’ hands before it got to me on the edge.
“Tamara Taylor with the amazing dummy to get in behind. I was so deep because I wasn’t expecting the ball to come, so I ended up hitting the ball at full pace and getting over, and scoring was incredibly special. But it was a long time coming for us, having been in two squads that had lost in two World Cup finals. It was amazing for us, I think it really was a turning point to bring the trophy home and to get it a win for the first time in 20 years, from the northern hemisphere.
“You’ve got to credit New Zealand, they were exceptionally talented to win it the number of times they did. But, I think us winning as a team in 2014 really was the catalyst to start creating some change off the field, in terms of real support from the nation. But at the same time, everybody starting to stop and see, not just the fact that we were incredibly successful as a side, but but also we played a brand of rugby and a brand of the sport that they really enjoyed watching.”
New Zealand continued to be a leading force within Women’s rugby, and added their sixth Women’s Rugby World Cup title at the end of last year. Once again at the expense of the Red Roses, the Black Ferns triumphed 34-31 at Eden Park, to win the pandemic-delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup. However, England have since gotten their long awaited revenge, as the Red Roses recently ventured to New Zealand for the inaugural WXV1 competition, and returned as champions.
England secured wins over Australia, Canada and the Black Ferns to take the title, with the crowning victory only further building momentum ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup on home turf. Waterman believes that the 33-12 win over New Zealand was a statement of intent, as John Mitchell’s new side kick into their stride ahead of hosting the hotly anticipated tournament.
“Yeah, it was it was heartbreaking for the players and for ex players and for all of the fans, everyone, the partners, everyone that’s been behind England for the journey they’ve been on for them to not lift the trophy in New Zealand. But you have to congratulate the home nation for the getting the win in the last match.
“But I think where the girls are, you know, it’s only fuelled them to take the next step. And to push even further. I think the fact that they’ve got a new coaching team behind them, obviously new leadership with Marlie Packer. But yet Sarah Hunter has moved across into that management. I saw her the other day, and she said it’s a real challenge, but is one that she’s really relishing.
“I think they (the Red Roses) seem in a really great place, I think the domestic game within England, with PWR (Premiership Women’s Rugby), is really supporting the growth and the depth and the breadth of the talent that we have with England. And not just England, but across all of the Six Nations sides actually. You see a number of the girls performing.
“I think with them pushing each other in the domestic game, seeing the talent across the nine teams within the league, we then accelerate into an amazing Six Nations in a few months time. I think England are in a brilliant place, I have no doubt the loss in New Zealand has really fuelled the fire to lift the trophy at home.”
Speaking of the Women’s Six Nations, this is certainly a tournament which Waterman has experience in winning. Throughout her extensive 82-capped tenure with England, that lasted from 2003 to 2018, Waterman claimed nine Women’s Six Nations titles, all of which were Grand Slams. England’s longest stretch of unanswered dominance was from 2006 to 2012, as the Red Roses won seven consecutive titles, in a record that stands to this day.
However, the current crop of England talents are closing in on the record, as they added their fifth Championship in a row this year, with the goal of emulating the heroes of yester-year ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Outside of her career with England, Waterman starred for Wasps Women and Bristol Ladies at club level, and achieved a call-up into the Team GB Rugby Sevens squad for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. In an honour that stands up alongside her accomplishments as a Red Rose, Waterman discussed her pride in flying the Union Jack to a fourth-placed finish, with her family in support after a difficult time in her life.
“I think back now it all seems a little bit surreal to say even still, that I’m an Olympian, and that I had that opportunity. I think the fact that we were able to have rugby performed at the biggest sporting event we have within the globe is so special, and the fact that it was a platform to be part of it was absolutely unreal on the field.
“But the fact that millions of people across the world got to see rugby potentially for the first time. And also their nations that aren’t necessarily known for 15 aside rugby, but absolutely thriving in the seven aside game was really cool. I think the diversity of audience that sevens provides in particular now with the HSBC sevens, across the tournaments, but at the same time, you know, with it being an Olympic sport, it does catapult rugby to a to a different level.
“Fortunately, my personal journey, you know, I had had a really significant injury that took me out for a long time, I suffered with my mental health because of it and I had some real challenges. So the fact that going from being told I would never play again, diagnosed with depression, to then be able to get out there, to run out in the stadium and have all of my family there. To see my mum sitting there in the crowd with a team GB flag, was something that I’d visualised and was my motivation a lot of the times when I was finding it hard.
“So for that to actually come to fruition and become a reality is something that even now, it makes me a little bit emotional thinking about it.”
With 82 England caps, 205 test match points, Olympic Games involvement, a run with the Barbarians, and an overflowing cabinet of winners medals, Waterman retired from a decorated rugby career in 2018.
Making way for the next generation of Red Roses, Waterman would remain amongst the sport, as she ventured into an adventure within broadcast media. After branching across to the commentary gantry throughout her career, Waterman’s transition from the pitch to the press box came rather seamlessly ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
“So, I actually did quite a lot of media work whilst I was still playing. In the women’s game, for me, it wasn’t professional. It was professional in terms of everything, apart from being paid. So I’d worked for 12 of the 15 years with England, so I absolutely saw the value of continuing to build myself professionally with opportunities as and when they came about.
“It was really rubbish when I was injured, to be on the sidelines with not having a job or not having something to do. So, early on in my career in 2010, at the home World Cup that we had, Sky Sports had started to have more of an input in terms of our coverage, so there were more opportunities to have the chance to give it a go. What I saw was that it was a challenge, which I loved.
“There’s nothing really that can replace playing the elite level of sport, but at the same time, the pressures to deliver, to still be part of it, to challenge myself, around the technical, tactical explanation of the game. Yes, it’s not like doing the (playing) skills, but it’s talking about it, and helping other people in engaging with them. That was kind of where I got the bug. Then when I finished and retired back in 2018, there was a real acceleration by the media, to allow more females to have the opportunity to come in.
“I was very fortunate to firstly work alongside Myles Harrison and the team with Channel Four. And then when ITV took over the contracts I moved across to that team. So I got the bug whilst I was still playing. I think the message really for me is that, to other athletes and whether it’s rugby or other sports, is absolutely find passions away from the playing, and what could you do in a career when you finish, and taking the opportunities when they arise. I’ve been very fortunate to commentate on some wonderful Test matches. It’s a skill that I’ve really enjoyed learning, I’m still definitely on that path of learning.”
After breaking onto the commentary scene throughout the 2019 Rugby World Cup and subsequent Six Nations competitions, Waterman was met by a litany of online abuse, which frequently contained sexist tones. Waterman found refuge in her fellow pioneering female broadcasters, who taught her how to rise above such hate-filled remarks, and ignore the trolling comments to become the best that she could be. Now firmly amongst the leading rugby commentators on the test match stage, it’s safe to say that Nolli was not deterred by the backlash in her early years behind the microphone.
The Rugby World Cup winner discussed how she’s overcome such challenges, and gave her thoughts on the recent comments made by a notable ex-footballer. Former Manchester City midfielder and Bristol Rovers Manager Joey Barton has recently posted a series of aggressive and sexist comments, stating that women should not be involved in covering men’s football. Waterman gave her thoughts on such disappointing goings on, and how there is no place for such comments anywhere in sport’s inclusive space.
“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunities I’ve had during my media career so far, but also the fact that, not only have I been given the opportunity, but I’ve been surrounded by amazing people that have helped mentor and support me.”
“From a confidence perspective, to make me feel welcome and supported. From that perspective, I’ve really seen the role of other people stepping in and helping that and encouraging it, and actually, the fact that I’m a woman, it definitely shouldn’t change people’s opinion on whether I can do the job or not.
So, it’s been definitely challenging at times, getting a reasonable amount of negative social media comments, especially during the the early parts of the opportunities that I’ve had.
“But saying that, to see, and to work alongside so many other amazing women at the most recent men’s Rugby World Cup was really special. To learn from and to be friends with someone like Jill Douglas, who was the first of her generation of female presenters. How kind she is, how exceptionally talented she is as a broadcaster, to have someone like her mentor me and show me that it doesn’t matter that you’re a woman, or a man, or whatever, you can absolutely deliver at the highest level. I feel really fortunate to have those types of people around me.”
“I think firstly, it’s incredibly disappointing (Joey Barton tweets) with someone that has a platform like he does to make comments that exclude such a significant proportion of people from the game. I am really proud in particular of the work that we do with Guinness, because through the ‘never settle’ campaign, it is about ensuring that sport is a place for everybody.
“Comments like that are unnecessary. I think they are just exceptionally damaging, potentially, to young people. But what I really hope is, as I say that the campaign that we do, with ‘never settle’ is about getting everybody involved.”
“I just really hope that the continued work that we (Guinness) can do, as a global brand, investing in so much to make sure that everybody feels welcome, that that’s what they (young people) see, and it’s not the negative comments from an individual. It’s his opinion it’s not the majority. It’s not what so many people believe.”
With countless top level matches under her commentary belt in a relatively short space of time, Waterman has certainly not stood on ceremony in her post-playing career. Having called the action across the Premiership, European Cups and international test match stage, the match that she recalls the fondest was the opportunity to commentate on the iconic British & Irish Lions.
Before the famous touring side embarked on their 2021 trip to South Africa behind closed doors, the Lions took on Japan at Scotland’s Murrayfield Stadium and recorded a resounding 28-10 win. Waterman discussed how this was a bucket list side to cover, and other matches that she has a true fondness in remembering.
“I’ve been fortunate to work across a number of pretty monumental matches, but to commentate on the Lions, up in at Murrayfield, when they played against Japan was incredibly special. You know, for a young girl, the Lions wasn’t a possibility, and it wasn’t a possibility through my career. But as we now know that that’s going to be happening in the future, which is super exciting. So to be part of that was really special.
“I think, most recently, to be able to be in the commentary box, when Fiji beat Australia for the first time in the men’s World Cup for 69 years was just unreal. The crowd, the atmosphere, the way that Fiji played the game. They’re an exceptionally exciting team to play. But as a rugby purist, the work that they did around the breakdown, the work that they did with the goal kicking, everything.
“The way that they moved the ball, it wasn’t just about the Fijian flair that we all love and tune in to see, whether that be sevens or fifteens. But they unpicked one of the world’s best teams, and what that meant. I think to be a female in the commentary box there, at a game that has gone down and World Cup history was really special.”
As the commentator mentioned, the wheels are turning to bring together a first ever Women’s British & Irish Lions tour. The plans are still in the preliminary stages, with New Zealand amongst the destinations flung within the conversation. Waterman could not understate her excitement for this element to be introduced to the women’s game, yet believes that for the tour to be a success, the matches need a competitive edge.
“I think from my perspective, the Lions in the men’s format is incredibly special. I suppose where we are within the women’s game is that, you know, we have different nations that are in the top rankings, you know, France being included within that. Australia are heavily investing now into their women’s program with professional contracts, having just recruited Joe Yapp as their Head Coach, their first ever full time (women’s) coach.
“So, I think over the next couple of years, we’re going to see a real growth within the game, which will help identify how the Lions can work from a delivery perspective. Because, I think what is exciting about the Lions, is not just the bringing all of the teams together, but also the fact that they play the best in the world, and those games aren’t guaranteed.
“They’re incredibly difficult test matches, they’ve got jeopardy and then people don’t know who’s going to win. I think making sure that we can try and create that competitive edge of a series is fundamental to the success of it.”