World Cup winner Mo Hunt, who trained as a teacher in Birmingham, backs rugby for 5,000 primary schools

England World Cup winner Natasha "Mo" Hunt, who trained as a teacher at King Edward's School in Birmingham, is backing a programme to bring rugby into more than 5,000 primary schools across the country.

The Red Roses scrum-half is supporting the Allianz Kick Start programme, which offers primary pupils a series of six lessons of non-contact rugby designed to teach the sport's core values, Birmingham Live reported on 11 November.

From the PE classroom to the World Cup

Hunt, who comes from the Forest of Dean, trained to be a qualified teacher at King Edward's School in Birmingham and went on to teach PE at Sir Graham Balfour School in Stafford while playing for England, before committing to rugby full time. She was part of the England side that won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.

"The thing I loved most about teaching was seeing the progression of the kids," she said. "I was fortunate enough that I worked at a school long enough to see pupils from Year 7 and you're helping to guide young people."

"We would see kids in school more than their parents. It's a really important job to be able to guide them into being good humans. Rugby has the most incredible values of teamwork and discipline, and being able to work together is a huge part of life."

"I would have picked up rugby earlier"

Hunt played more netball than rugby when she was growing up, because her school did not offer the sport. "I wasn't fortunate enough that we had rugby at my school and we didn't have the people or the access to play rugby," she said. "My mum, bless her, used to drive me an hour and back to play netball three or four times a week."

"There are so many incredible athletes in the Forest of Dean who are almost untouched, who are not found because of opportunities and access. If I'd have stumbled across the sport sooner, there's no doubt in my mind I would have picked up rugby earlier."

Six lessons, no contact

The Kick Start programme uses T1 non-contact rugby, a version of the game without tackling, which makes it safe and accessible for primary school children who have never played before. Allianz and England Rugby will support more than 5,000 primary schools through a "flatpack" rugby programme that gives teachers what they need to deliver it.

"I'm obsessed with rugby, it's the best thing in the entire world for children to get that opportunity to play such an amazing sport," Hunt said. "Allianz has given them an opportunity to do that and hopefully fall in love like I have."

What it could mean for Birmingham schools

For Birmingham primary schools, programmes like this one give teachers a ready-made way to introduce a new sport, and give children who might never have picked up a rugby ball the chance to discover it. Schools interested in taking part can find out more through England Rugby.

For Hunt, it is about making sure the next generation does not miss out the way she nearly did. The route to the next Red Roses could start in a primary school playground.