Rocky Clark & Lynne Cantwell to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame

The ceremony will take place on 26 September at the Women’s Summit in London, staged on the eve of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final. It will mark a landmark moment for both trailblazing players, as well as for the global growth of women’s rugby.

Still Ireland’s most-capped women’s player more than a decade after her retirement, Cantwell remains a pivotal figure in the history of Irish rugby. Making her debut in 2002, she went on to earn 86 consecutive caps across 13 years, playing in four Women’s Rugby World Cups.

Cantwell was part of the squad that secured the 2013 Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam, and played a starring role in Ireland’s famous victory over New Zealand at the 2014 Women’s World Cup, which propelled the team to their first ever semi-final.

Cantwell also represented Ireland in Sevens and even returned post-retirement to play senior mixed touch at the 2019 World Cup in Malaysia. Off the pitch, she has been equally influential, serving as Head of Women’s Strategy at the IRFU after a spell as Women’s High-Performance Manager with SA Rugby.

Her induction as Hall of Fame No.174 recognises not only her excellence on the field but also her ongoing impact in shaping the women’s game.

Few players embody England’s dominance in women’s rugby like Rochelle Clark. With 137 test caps between 2003 and 2018, she remains the world’s most-capped women’s prop and England’s second most-capped player of all time.

Clark featured in four Women’s Rugby World Cups, finally lifting the trophy in 2014 after heartbreak in previous finals. Renowned as one of the best scrummagers in the sport, she was also a try-scoring threat, crossing the line 24 times during her career.

Her career highlights include eight Women’s Six Nations titles, and her leadership and personality made her one of the most recognisable faces in women’s rugby. Nicknamed ‘Rocky’, Clark made her debut against Canada and became a cornerstone of England’s front row across a golden era for the Red Roses.

Since retirement, Clark has remained embedded in rugby, working as a coach, commentator and presenter, while still giving back at grassroots level with the Buckingham Swans. Awarded an MBE in 2015, she now enters the Hall of Fame as Inductee No.175.

Cantwell and Clark join Matthew Burke (Australia) and Richard Hill (England & Lions) in the 2025 class, bringing the total number of Hall of Fame inductees to 175 since its inception in 2006.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson praised the pair, saying:

“Lynne was a generational talent and an inspirational part of an Ireland team that secured a first-ever Women’s Six Nations title and beat New Zealand on the way to a first Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final. Rocky’s reputation as a world-class scrummager was deserved but her value went beyond that and she was an integral part of a hugely successful era for England.”

The ceremony falls upon the eve of a record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup Final, and promises to be a fitting stage for two players whose legacies will continue to inspire generations to come.