“You cannot be what you cannot see”
BY AIMEE BUTLER, IMAGES PROVIDED BY VODAFONE
A star on the pitch, a star on the screen, Jodie Ounsley’s drive knows no bounds. Her warrior-style resilience, strength, and determination have shaped her into a role model every young girl could look up to and one whose impact extends well beyond the try line.
Born and bred up North, Jodie chuckles fondly as I ask her about her experience growing up and playing rugby in Yorkshire.
“I love being in Yorkshire,” she says. “It’s all about family and the community, and a bit of grit and all that.”
“I went to my first club, which was Wakefield Sandal, and they were just amazing. I then managed to sort of work my way up through County Yorkshire, and then moved towards Sale Sharks later on in my career.”
When I ask about her move from rugby to television, Jodie admits she had not expected it to happen. “I never saw myself going into TV or anything like that, because I am a really shy person.”
“The thought of getting in front of a camera was like my worst nightmare.”
Yet, the Gladiators star praises the career move as distinctly impactful. “It has just really grown my confidence as a person,” she says, adding that when the opportunity came around, it was “right up my street”.
“And I love the feeling I get when I exercise, I always feel better afterwards.”
As the Women’s Rugby World Cup captivated the UK, hosts and tournament favourites, England’s Red Roses, inspired the nation with a total tournament TV audience of 12 million, and a final that became the most-watched rugby match all year.
Another powerful push in bringing women’s rugby and its stars into the spotlight was Vodafone’s See It. Believe It. Campaign, which set out to challenge misconceptions about the women’s game and connect it with a wider audience.
“Where do I start?” Jodie laughs when I ask her what she thought were some of the biggest misconceptions within women’s rugby. “There seems to be this idea that women are trying to prove that the women’s game is better than the men’s game, which is not the case. We are trying to show that we love the sport just as much as anyone else and showcase that we can be great and we can make a career out of it.”
The purpose of Vodafone’s campaign is clear, and indeed necessary. Recent statistics show that around 70% of Brits who hold a negative view of women’s rugby have actually never watched a match, only 11% of people see women’s rugby discussed on social media, and around 15% recall seeing it on the news.
“The game needs campaigns and brands like Vodafone getting on board and pushing it in a new direction,” Jodie states firmly. “It helps us connect with new audiences, and for them to see it in a light they probably wouldn’t have seen before.”
“You need to give it a try before you have an opinion.”
“It brings so much to people’s lives,” she continues. “Rugby has genuinely changed my life; me as a person, my mental wellbeing, my physicality. It’s about getting it out there that it’s just an incredible sport to be part of.”
As we witness a transformative, era-defining new chapter in women’s sport, athletes and role models like Jodie are emerging as key figures propelling the movement forward.
When I ask how she feels about being someone that the next generation can look up to and draw inspiration from, Jodie responds with genuine enthusiasm.
“[Being on the show] opened my eyes. It’s so much bigger than just a TV show. It’s an opportunity to try and inspire kids to get into sport. Especially with me being a physical sort of girl, and a rugby player, I find it really cool that kids can now see that on Saturday night TV.”
Women’s sports have long been recognised for their inclusive and welcoming environments, with women’s football and women’s rugby leading the charge in celebrating queer lives and normalising LGBTQIA+ representation both on and off the pitch.
Jodie shares that she initially thought it was thrilling to represent her community on the screen, but admits she didn’t anticipate the impact and reaction it would have.
“For deaf people, for sporty girls, those girls who feel a bit more rough and aggressive in contact sport – you don’t always see that on TV,” she says.
“I’ve got a partner, Ellen, who’s my girlfriend, but again, I didn’t realise the impact that can have either,” Jodie admits. “I’m very casual, I just normalise it, and I think I would love for people to see that you don’t have to express it all the time.”
For Jodie, being unapologetically herself doesn’t come with any type of performance. She wants people to see that you can exist freely and comfortably, without any need for an explanation or compromise.
She praises rugby for its uniquely positive atmosphere.
“You can literally be any shape, size, whatever background you’ve come from – everyone will welcome you in and put their arm around you.”
Since joining the rugby community, Jodie notes how it is one of the most naturally inclusive environments she’s known, particularly for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“Same sex couples and stuff like that, it just didn’t even seem different to us. You didn’t have to explain yourself. It was just like, ‘oh, here’s my partner’ and that’s it.”
She also says that while she has always felt comfortable in the TV world, it is somewhat incomparable to the sense of belonging and inclusion that rugby offers.
“Rugby really is just so inclusive, you don’t even have to worry about that side of things [sexuality].”
“So, for kids and young teenagers to see that [queer visibility on TV], who are potentially nervous about that part of themselves, it is literally the best, open-arms environment you can be in.”
When I ask Jodie what she would say to convince a young girl to take the leap and get stuck into rugby. Her answer was simple and instant.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” she says brightly. “You can go and give it a try and you might not like it, and then at least you know you don’t like it. Or, you might go and absolutely love it. You’ll never know if you don’t give it a try.”
Her advice is simple yet necessary. Too often we refrain from putting ourselves out there due to fears of failure, judgment, or not being good enough. In rugby, Jodie reassures, there’s no pressure to be perfect or know everything before you start.
“You don’t need to turn up to a rugby club knowing all the laws, the rules, or things like that. I didn’t have a clue,” she smiles. “I just knew I wanted to give it a go.”
While we as a nation both reel from and bask in the victories of our national women’s sides this summer and autumn, what comes next will be truly defining for the future of women’s sport.
“That World Cup just had a completely different energy about it – the atmosphere – it just felt like there was some shift within, compared to the last World Cup,” Jodie remarks positively.
“I think the Red Roses have really built momentum for other women’s sports to follow.”
To sum it up, Jodie states plainly: “You can’t just get away with not caring about it these days.”
And she’s right – this home tournament has changed things – the support, the interest, the respect. The tide has turned and we will not be going back.
Jodie Ounsley is proudly supporting Vodafone’s ‘See it. Believe it.’ campaign, which aims to challenge misconceptions about women’s rugby and connect the sport with new audiences. As part of the campaign, Jodie is working with storytelling experts Goalclick to provide exclusive behind-the-scenes content from all levels of the game.
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