'I'd like to know more about the whole situation' - Fryday holds judgement on transgender issue

Ireland captain Nichola Fryday says she will reserve judgement on the IRFU's new policy on transgender women until she has looked further into the subject.

Irish Rugby yesterday updated their gender participation policy, which now limits contact rugby for players in the female category to those whose sex was recorded as female at birth.

The IRFU said the decision was based on medical and scientific evidence and in line with World Rugby guidance, which last year banned transgender women players from competing at the elite level of the women's game.

According to the IRFU, there are two registered players in Ireland who are now no longer able to play contact rugby on women's teams.

Ireland captain Fryday was asked for comment on the new policy this afternoon, but says she will further educate herself on the topic before offering an opinion.

"At this time I don't want to make any answers on that," she said, as the Ireland team prepared to depart for their two-Test tour of Japan today.

"I'd like to know more about the whole situation, and the laws. For me, I'm just going to focus on Japan, and I think it's something we can review in a few weeks."

Fryday (below) will captain Ireland on their tour of Japan, which is the first overseas tour of its kind for an Irish women's team.

It comes in a summer of major change in the women's game, with the recent appointment of Gillian McDarby as the first 'head of women's performance and pathways', while the union also confirmed the introduction of centralised contracts for elite women's players.

Combined with existing contracts in the Sevens program, it will bring the number of paid playing contracts in Ireland to 43.

"It's great, it's been a really positive few months with the announcement of the