From customised “Cramp Cocktails” to period-tracking apps, women’s rugby teams are taking groundbreaking steps to support athletes through their menstrual cycles. As players compete over five intense weeks at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, managing periods has become a performance focus. The USA team, for instance, uses personalised nutrition and daily wellness check-ins to help athletes stay at their peak. With menstrual health now dubbed the sport’s “fifth vital sign,” BBC Sport explores how tracking cycles is reshaping training, recovery, and performance in elite women’s rugby.
