JODIE OUNSLEY, the former rugby union international turned Gladiators star, has called on British schools to play their part in building on the breakout success of the Women’s World Cup.

Ounsley, who represented England in rugby sevens before finding fame as “Fury” in the BBC game show, was in attendance as the Red Roses kicked off their campaign with a 69-7 thrashing of the United States last Friday.

A tournament record crowd of 42,723 took in the opener in Sunderland, while the BBC coverage drew a peak of 2.4 million viewers as the nation rallied behind Zoe Aldcroft’s side.

Ounsley has felt the surge of interest in the women’s game and hopes youngsters who are inspired to get involved are supported when schools reopen after the summer break.

“Something feels different about this year, it just feels like a shift in how people are seeing women’s rugby and it’s so refreshing,” she told the PA news agency.

“A few people have been saying it’s like the Lionesses effect [in football] and I have a feeling it could do that same. It’s bringing new people to the game and that’s what we need, to inspire kids to pick up a rugby ball.

“Schools have a huge part in it. When I was in school, they had a boys’ rugby team but not a girls’ team. It was touch rugby so I thought I could join the lads and I was told, ‘no, you can’t’. I was told girls don’t like playing rugby. If I’d listened to that I might never had gone to my local club, so it really does impact young girls and kids in school. Now more people are seeing the game for what it is.”

And if Ounsley’s words are not heeded, she may be tempted to call on her television alter-ego.

“I hope so but if not, I’ll be going to those schools myself!” she added.

England can further cement their status as tournament favourites when they face Samoa on Saturday, while Pool B rivals Wales and Scotland are also in action against Canada and Fiji on the same day.

Ounsley may have swapped elite competition for prime-time entertainment, but she feels her current role and the ongoing tournament are both helping to challenge outdated ideas about women in sport.

“It’s all about getting personalities out there, people are seeing females as strong and that’s being celebrated more,” she said.

“Being physical and being powerful is being seen in a good light and that’s so refreshing personally, because I loved the physical contact side of rugby.

“Now I’ve come out of that world I’m still trying to bring new people to the game and there’s people who might have never watched rugby but seen Gladiators and taken an interest. I take so much pride in that, because it’s about new eyes, new audiences and changing some perceptions.”