Genevieve Cox scoops URC MVP Award
Congratulations to Genevieve Cox, daughter of Longford RFC member and former player, Tom Cox, who has been named one of the Most Valuable Players (MVPs) of the 2025 United Rugby Championship (URC) Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), an international initiative designed to break down barriers for women seeking careers in the sports industry.
The WLA was launched in response to research revealing that 92% of women face barriers entering the sports industry, and that 8 in 10 would benefit from access to mentoring. Supported by CVC, the programme brings together 60 promising candidates aged 18–26 from across the globe for a series of workshops, mentorship sessions, and career development opportunities led by accomplished women working at the highest levels of sport.
From hundreds of international applicants, Genevieve was selected to take part and following her standout contributions, she was announced as MVP, alongside Kaelin Louw from South Africa.
As part of her award, Genevieve joined the URC team on the ground at the BKT URC Grand Final 2025 in Croke Park, where she gained hands-on experience in the high-pressure environment of a major sporting event. She particularly gravitated toward the media and communications aspects of the tournament, and was exposed to the breadth of planning, teamwork, and coordination involved in bringing such a spectacle to life.
While studying law at UCC, Genevieve took modules in Sports Law and the Sports Law Clinic, modules she cites as the most enjoyable of her degree. These experiences fuelled her decision to explore a career path in the sports industry, which ultimately led her to apply for the URC Women’s Leadership Academy.
“The programme has inspired me beyond belief, surrounding yourself with likeminded people who truly are passionate to see you succeed.,” Genevieve said.
“Each speaker brought something unique to the table and made the idea of a career in sport feel real and achievable. Being named MVP alongside Kaelin was incredibly humbling. The week I spent working with the URC team was a whirlwind – fast-paced, inspiring, and genuinely empowering. I’ve come away from it with a much stronger belief in myself and a clearer vision for where I want to go next -whether it’s rugby, soccer, F1 or the Olympics!”
Genevieve also paid tribute to the team spirit and culture within the URC organisation, noting the visible presence of women in leadership roles and the support she received throughout the process as a true testament to the URC’s commitment to change.
“The WLA has opened doors for me that I wouldn’t have known how to knock on before!”
Genevieve’s journey stands as a powerful example of how sport can create pathways for the next generation of women leaders. As the URC continues its mission to make the industry more inclusive and representative, her story is one of possibility, progress, and pride for the community that helped shape her.
Genevieve’s first introduction to sport came through Gaelic football with her local club, Kilglass Gaels in rural Roscommon. Around the same time, her dad, Tom, was coaching the local tag rugby team for the Community Games, so naturally she was encouraged by him to take part. Her dad has been very influential in her relationship with sport, growing up consisted of attending Leinster and Ireland matches- her birthday falls around the Autumn Nation Series so that was always her birthday present/treat day out! He has always been her number one supporter and there on the good days and the days of disappointment. For his part, Tom was one of the finest players ever to don a Longford RFC jersey. He was Club Captain in 1989-1990, and he is also one of the most capped Leinster Junior players ever, having amassed 28 caps between 1981 and 1989. Genevieve’s brother, Mark, played at Under Age level for Longford before going off to boarding school.
Days out playing and watching only deepened Genevieve’s love for sport. That grá for the game really flourished thanks to the strong sense of community that radiates from sporting environments. This continued when she started boarding school at Sligo Grammar School. She was eager to get involved in sport there and got the opportunity to take up hockey, which was the main sport for girls at the school.
“I played from first year right up to 6th year, having many a great day out with the squad. Those days were always great craic and provided such a brilliant way to bond with girls from both younger and older years.”
Genevieve’s path to date has not been without it’s worries and travails but community and rugby assisted greatly in overcoming adversity..
“In 2023, my dad suffered a stroke, and the support we received from the community at Longford RFC was incredible. Their encouragement played a big role in his recovery and rehabilitation. He set himself the goal of making it to the Rugby World Cup in France that September, and it was a really special moment for our family when my brother and I were able to accompany him to the Ireland vs South Africa match, alongside some of his friends from Longford RFC.”
That experience reaffirmed the powerful impact sport can have on people’s lives not just physically, but emotionally too. Getting to channel that passion into working in the sports industry now feels incredibly meaningful for Genevieve and really strengthened her desire to pursue it.
“A standout moment for me so far in my journey, was working at the URC Grand Final as the URCxWLA MVP. The sense of community was as strong as ever and really highlighted what makes sport and especially rugby so special, the URC team immediately took me under their wing and I was very lucky that I got to explore all the different areas that they cover on the lead up to a Grand Final. I was mainly involved in media and communications: assisting with setting up the media centre, preparing the press conference room, being present for interviews and press briefings, and signing journalists and photographers in on the day to give them their media passes. I even had a chance to explore the OB (Outside Broadcasting) van, which gave me great insight into the broadcast side of live sport. One particular cool moment was heading up to the Croke Park Skyline for a content shoot with representatives from the URC, Leinster Rugby, and the Vodacom Bulls – a surreal and unforgettable moment looking across the city in one of the most historic and iconic stadiums in Ireland.”
Genevieve recalls her time at University College Cork as being hugely influential in shaping her path.
“I was lucky enough to take part in both the Sports Law module and the Sports Law Clinic, taught by Dr Seán Ó Conaill and Dr Aisling Parkes. The clinic involves advising athletes and clubs on legal issues in sport, a rare and incredibly practical experience for a law student! It opened my eyes to the many facets of sports law, from anti-doping regulations to the workings of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the legal framework surrounding player movement and transfers. Getting to engage with real-world queries, alongside my classmates, was such a valuable experience and one that sparked an even greater interest in the field.”
Right now, Genevieve is preparing to sit the FE-1 exams to get her professional qualification as a Solicitor (following in the footsteps of her mum!) and she has just started as a paralegal at Byrne Wallace Shields where she is hoping to build up a strong foundation in general legal practice.
“From here, I hope to specialise further, whether that’s in sports law or possibly revisiting media and communications, an area I found genuinely rewarding during my time with the URC. One of the most important lessons I took away from the WLA experience is that career paths are rarely linear, and I’m very open to wherever this passion for sport may lead and keeping my mind open to any and all opportunities that present themselves to me. I am so grateful for all the amazing opportunities I have received so far, and the URCxWLA programme has opened so many doors for me and has allowed me to integrate into a community of other likeminded young women who are pursuing the same passion.”
Longford RFC
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Longford RFC
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