Former England international says female rugby players treated 'like small men'

Ex-England rugby player Shaunagh Brown has called out sport governing bodies she feels treat female athletes like "small men" to the detriment of their health and performance.

The 33-year-old retired from the Red Roses in December after earning 30 caps for her country, and also represented England in the hammer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

While the former prop has witnessed some positive change, she remains adamant that not enough consideration is directed to the unique needs of women, from the impact of menstrual cycles to a higher risk of certain injuries - including the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) issues that ended the World Cup dreams of England footballers Beth Mead and Leah Williamson.

"(It needs to) be based in the research why we're rehabbing this way, why we're asked to do this activity, why we're using this training programme, because what you'll find is a lot of it has come from men," Brown told a Parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee session.

"Whether that's concussion protocols, for me it just doesn't sound right that male and female concussion protocols are exactly the same.

"It's just because so often we are treated as small men as opposed to completely different needs as women. Where it's all come from, there is no base at the moment. It's changing slowly, more people are looking into it.

"I'd say there's more looking after people of a different age and potentially different weight categories than there is of a gender category. I'm heavy for a woman, I'm 16 stone, and I'd be expected to basically just train like a 16-stone man.

"But if I was a lot lighter, I'd probably have a different training programme. If I was weaker or stronger, I'd have a different training programme."

Next month, England