Rugby World Cup winner and former England player Maggie Alphonsi has said she wants to become the Rugby Football Union’s president.

Speaking to Scrum Queens she said rugby ’needs advocates’ for people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Alphonsi is currently the only black person on the RFU’s council.

She said: "My goal is to be the president of the RFU. There has never been a woman in the role and certainly there has never been a black person. That is the level I think you have to get so people stop and listen.

"We need advocates in positions of influence to reach down and pull BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) people up."

She was speaking after protests took place across the world in support of Black Lives Matter following the death of George Floyd.

Alphonsi, who is six months pregnant, said Floyd’s death made her step back and think about how she will teach her child about ’the challenges of life’.

“What has happened has been deeply upsetting and obviously it is disappointing that we are still dealing with racism and injustice on this scale,” the 36 year-old said.

"It has made me personally step back and think too. All going well, I am going to give birth to a mixed-race baby in three months' time.

"So with all of this going on, I have been asking myself how best I can help shape this little boy to understand the challenges and solutions around all of this."