More than a game: building culture, leadership, and the future of women’s rugby, with head coach Jocelyn Barrieau

At a time when women’s sports are reaching new heights, Canada’s women’s rugby program is emerging as one of the most compelling stories in the game.

In this episode, Eva Hartling sits down with Jocelyn Barrieau, head coach of Canada’s women’s rugby sevens team, to explore the evolution of the sport — from limited opportunities to Olympic podiums and World Cup finals. Together, they unpack what it takes to build a high-performance culture rooted in trust, psychological safety, and a clear sense of purpose.

Jocelyn shares her leadership philosophy — grounded in passion, pride, and love — and reflects on the role of visibility, media access, and athlete storytelling in driving the sport forward. The conversation also touches on funding realities, the need for stronger commercial partnerships, and why true progress will depend on greater representation in decision-making roles.

A conversation about sport, leadership, and the systems we need to build to sustain women’s success — on and off the field.

This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Please find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/wie // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale