President of Rugby Club Luxembourg Giulia Iannucci in Profile

Giulia Iannucci is the first female president of Rugby Club Luxembourg (RCL) and Chronicle.lu caught up with her recently to talk about her involvement in the sport prior to her arrival in Luxembourg, what her goals are during her presidency of the RCL and how she sees the future of rugby in Luxembourg.

Chronicle.lu: How did you first become interested in rugby and what drew you to the sport?

Giulia Iannucci: My relationship with rugby started when I was thirteen when a local club came to do a demonstration session. I wanted to play - they asked the children who wanted to join, but unfortunately, they said that girls were not allowed to play. Naturally, I was disappointed and so I distanced myself from rugby for many years after that. Instead, I played pretty much any other sport.

But then, when I turned 24, I met my future husband, who was a former player. From then on, we started watching rugby regularly. However, the moment that really changed my relationship with rugby was when I was living in Australia. I went to watch Australia versus New Zealand and I was very surprised to see that the supporters of both teams were all mixed together in the stadium. In Italy, where I come from, in football the supporters of the visiting team are very well separated to avoid fights.

When the game finished, a group of young New Zealand supporters - New Zealand had lost - turned around and I thought there was going to be a fight or something. Instead, they shook our hands to congratulate us for the game. In that moment, I realised what a unique game rugby is and I decided then and there that if I ever had children, they would play rugby.

Fast forward - my children were born in Singapore. We moved to London, my children were playing for Harlequins Mini Youth and I started helping the Club with communication. I ended up on the board of Harlequins Mini Youth. When I then arrived in Luxembourg, I started coaching, volunteering and organising things like the Ladies’ Day. One thing led to another, which led me to the board and then to become president.

Chronicle.lu: Could you tell us about your journey with Rugby Club Luxembourg and how you first got involved?

Giulia Iannucci: When I first arrived in Luxembourg in 2020, my child was not integrating very well because of the move from London. So being naturally a sporty person I started helping out on the pitch, eventually becoming a certified coach. I started with the U6 and I have continued ever since and I am now coaching the U12. At the same time, we started developing the project for the girls. We wanted to give young women the opportunity to play rugby. As I am highly involved in gender equality through the social enterprise I created, it was natural for me to work on this.

It is also worth mentioning that RCL is a very welcoming community. With a club that was so nice and welcoming to my three children when we arrived here from London, it felt only natural to want to give back and to use my abilities, to help the club grow and achieve its goals.

Chronicle.lu: What motivated you to take on the role of president and what does it mean to be the first woman in this position?

Giulia Iannucci: I was already on the board, I decided to become president because I realised that the Club had grown a lot in the last few years and, as it often happens, the growth was unplanned and very fast. This means that now what we need now is to create stronger and deeper foundations to ensure a sustainable growth. Since supporting growing organisations is part of my professional background, I thought this would be a new opportunity to use my skills to help the Club I love so much.

Being the first female president is certainly an honour, one that comes with a lot of responsibilities. Many of the responsibilities are the same as those I share with any other club’s president but there are also additional responsibilities. I do know that people have been questioning: “Why me? Who am I? What are my credentials?” There is certainly some scrutiny on me, because I am a woman, but sadly also on the whole team, because it is led by a woman. Additionally, I feel the responsibility to demonstrate that the Club has taken the right decision by entrusting for the first time a woman for this role.

But ultimately for me it is about doing what is right for the Club. We just started but I believe that people are already starting to see that this is a reliable and dedicated Board and that we have the skills, the drive and the energy to lead the Club.

Chronicle.lu: You have launched an initiative to start a women’s (or girls’) team at RCL. How did that idea come about and how has the response been?

Giulia Iannucci: The idea of the girls’ team came about because I was talking with other members of the club. We have a big participation of girls in touch rugby, but not in contact. We were seeing girls start when they were young but then drop off, because in Luxembourg there is only one other female team - Walferdange. They are really good and compete at an international level, but not all girls, especially the younger ones, were ready to make that jump.

So I wanted to give girls the opportunity to try rugby, to play rugby, even if they are just starting out. We launched the first edition of the Ladies’ Rugby Day and since then we have had three editions. We have had several Ministers attend and the event has been covered by TV and newspapers. It draws many players each time - the first one had about 50, the second 80, the last almost 100 and we will have another one later this season.

I think it is important for both boys and girls to know that they can do anything they want. If girls want to play rugby, they can play rugby. In the same way, if boys want to do ballet, they should be allowed to do ballet. It is just about doing what you are passionate about and discovering that passion by trying. That is what motivates me - giving equal opportunities to boys and girls in every field.

Today our girls’ team has around fifteen or sixteen players and continues to grow. There is a lot of support from within the club, from other clubs and from the federation. Of course, it is not easy - there are still people who think rugby is not for girls - but there are many girls out there who want to try and we want to give them that opportunity. 

Chronicle.lu: What are your main goals and priorities for RCL during your presidency?

Giulia Iannucci: During my presidency, I have three main priorities. One is to create solid structures and foundations for the club to continue growing in a sustainable way. I do not want to over-structure things - we are a volunteer-run organisation and we do not want to overcomplicate it - but we want to make sure the club can continue to grow sustainably in the years to come.

I also want to put rugby more on the map in Luxembourg. We are still a niche sport, but we are here - RCL alone has 596 members. I think we are a force that is not yet fully recognised, but we should be. My goal is to collaborate with the federation and the other clubs to create a strong Luxembourg rugby community that goes beyond individual teams and really unites all people in Luxembourg who love the sport.

This is especially important because we do not have enough pitches. Most of the available fields in Luxembourg are given to football, which limits the ability of rugby clubs to grow. I want to work with local authorities and the government to help them understand that rugby is a unique sport - one based on values, inclusivity and respect - and that it reflects Luxembourg’s international, determined and diverse community. By working together, I believe we can raise the profile of rugby in Luxembourg.

Finally, within RCL, I really want to continue building our community of volunteers and promoting the values of THRIVE — teamwork, honesty, respect, inclusivity, volunteering and enjoyment.

Chronicle.lu: How do you see the future of rugby in Luxembourg, especially in terms of inclusion and community engagement? 

Giulia Iannucci: Rugby in Luxembourg is growing and I think that is wonderful, especially in terms of diversity and inclusion. When the war in Ukraine started, many children used rugby as a way to make friends - they came here and connected through sport. We are also growing the number of girls involved, which adds even more diversity.

Rugby’s strong values - respect, teamwork and community - make it a sport that brings people together. A lot of people think it is only for big, strong men, but that is not true. If you watch a rugby game, you will see all kinds of players: big and strong, tall and lean, small and quick. Rugby truly represents diversity and inclusion, because in rugby you cannot score on your own - you can only score as a team. These values are what will help rugby grow in the years to come.

Chronicle.lu: Moreover, what advice would you give to young women or girls interested in joining the sport? 

Giulia Iannucci: My advice to girls is simple: do what you like. Try new things. Do not let people tell you what you can or cannot do. When I was thirteen and told I could not play rugby, it broke my heart. But now, opportunities exist. If you want to try something different, do it - whether it is rugby, hockey, or football. Do what you like, do what makes you happy. Do not listen to people who say, “that is a sport for men,” because sport is for everyone. There are no sports just for girls or just for men - there is only sport. Sport is good for you both mentally and physically. Just go out and have fun.