"People can't hide" – ITV Rugby's female commentator responds to vile online trolls

Today at 09:57 AM

Danielle "Nolli" Waterman, a trailblazer in rugby commentary, has revealed how online abuse nearly forced her to walk away from her dream job.

Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

The former England fullback, now 40, lives in Rome with her partner, hotel manager Simone Moretti, and the couple recently welcomed their first child.

But while her rugby career saw her reach the pinnacle of the sport—including a World Cup win in 2014—her transition into punditry came with a wave of shocking online hatred.

"I should have been elated—commentating on the Six Nations was my dream job. But instead, I was crushed," she admitted.

Waterman, who grew up in a rugby-mad family in Minehead, Somerset, was destined for the game. Her father, Jim, played for Bath, while her older brothers, Sam and Joe, were just as obsessed. By 14, she was competing in regional trials, and by 15, she was training with England's senior academy.

At just 18, she made history as England's youngest-ever female player, earning her first cap in 2003 while still at school. But with women's rugby still amateur at the time, Waterman had to juggle playing with a career as a PE teacher and coach.

"I loved every second," she said, reflecting on her 82 England caps over 15 years. That journey culminated in scoring a crucial try in the 2014 World Cup final, helping England lift the trophy.

A year later, she was among the first women to receive a professional contract from the RFU, allowing her to focus solely on rugby—though the pay was still a fraction of what male players earned.

After featuring at the Rio 2016 Olympics, injuries caught up with her. Forced onto the sidelines, Waterman turned to commentary, picking up gigs with Sky Sports and World Rugby.

“I had a lot to learn, but I knew I could be good at it," she said.

But when she stepped into the commentary box for ITV's Six Nations coverage in 2020, the backlash was brutal.

“ITV's decision to have a chatterbox woman as part of the commentary team is stupid. She's irritating and irrelevant,” read one of many sexist tweets that left her in tears.

"I'd faced criticism as a player, but this felt different. The tidal wave of negativity was so strong that I started to believe the trolls."

The abuse took its toll. Once outgoing and confident, Waterman became anxious and struggled to sleep, fearing ITV would listen to the online vitriol.

Three months later, she made a decision—she stopped reading social media. Instead, she focused on the support from her employers, fellow commentators, and rugby legends like Bryan Habana.

Regaining her confidence, she released a documentary, Finding Her Voice, with HSBC, shining a light on online abuse in sport.

Now, as she prepares to commentate on games for ITV during the Six Nations, Waterman has a new approach.

“I mute or block trolls instantly. But more needs to be done—social media accounts should be verified so people can't hide behind anonymous profiles."

For Waterman, the fight against online abuse is about more than just her own experience.

“I have a chance to change things if I'm in the room. The more we challenge trolling, the more we can stamp it out."

EDITORS PICKS:

• Son of England legend ditches dad's nation to play for France ahead of Six Nations showdown
• Alan Shearer's daughter is marrying England Rugby star
• Scotland vs Ireland referee is hated by former England boss Eddie Jones
• Statement: RFU confirms they plan to reduce the capacity of Allianz Stadium (Twickenham)
• Immanuel Feyi-Wabaso makes shock return to the England squad

UPDATED: Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations

The Six Nations is always a showcase of top-tier talent, but not every player pulls on their nation’s jersey having been born there.

With eligibility rules allowing selections through ancestry, residency, or other pathways, squads feature a fascinating mix of homegrown stars and those who developed their skills elsewhere before qualifying for their adopted countries.

The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.

This international blend underlines rugby's global nature, with some nations leaning on overseas-born talent more than others. Ahead of round two, we’ve broken down the squads – and Scotland lead the way by a mile when it comes to foreign-born players.

ENGLAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/41 (95.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)

• Bevan Rodd (Scotland) – Parent
• Chandler Cunningham-South (England) – Born in England
• Harry Randall (England) – Born in England
• Marcus Smith (Philippines) – Parent
• Tom Roebuck (Scotland) – Parent

FRANCE

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/42 (92.8%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)

• Dany Priso (Cameroon) – Residency (2008)
• Uini Atonio (New Zealand) – Residency (2014)
• Giorgi Beria (Georgia) – Residency (2002)
• Joshua Brennan (Ireland) – Residency (2005)
• Emmanuel Meafou (New Zealand) – Residency (2023)
• Émilien Gailleton (England) – Parent

IRELAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 30/36 (83.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)

• Rob Herring (South Africa) – Grandparent
• Finlay Bealham (Australia) – Grandparent
• Cormac Izuchukwu (England) – Parent
• Joe McCarthy (USA) – Parent
• Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)
• Bundee Aki (New Zealand) – Residency (2017)
• Ciarán Frawley (Australia) – Parent
• Mack Hansen (Australia) – Parent
• James Lowe (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)

ITALY

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 21/31 (67.7%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/31 (29.0%)

• Dino Lamb-Cona (England) – Parent
• Sebastian Negri (Zimbabwe) – Parent
• Ross Vintcent (South Africa) – Grandparent
• Martin Page-Relo (France) – Grandparent
• Stephen Varney (Wales) – Parent
• Juan Ignacio Brex (Argentina) – Grandparent
• Montana Ioane (Australia) – Residency (2020)
• Ange Capuozzo (France) – Parent
• Matt Gallagher (England) – Parent

SCOTLAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 25/42 (58,1.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 18/43 (44.1%)

1. Pierre Schoeman (South Africa) – Residency (2021)
2. Ewan Ashman (Canada) – Parent
3. Dylan Richardson (South Africa) – Parent
4. Will Hurd (England) – Grandparent
5. Cameron Henderson (Hong Kong) – Parent
6. Ewan Johnson (England) – Parent
7. Marshall Sykes (England) – Grandparent
8. Josh Bayliss (England) – Grandparent
9. Jack Dempsey (Australia) – Grandparent
10. Alexander Masibaka (Australia) – Parent
11. Ben White (England) – Grandparent
12. Fergus Burke (New Zealand) – Grandparent
13. Tom Jordan (New Zealand) – Residency (2024)
14. Rory Hutchinson (England) – Grandparent
15. Sione Tuipulotu (Australia) – Grandparent
16. Arron Reed (England) – Parent
17. Kyle Rowe (England) – Cumulative Residency
18. Duhan van der Merwe (South Africa) – Residency (2020)

WALES

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 26/34 (76.4%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 10/34 (29.4%)

Ellis Mee (England) – Parent

WillGriff John (England) – Parent

Henry Thomas (England) – Parent

Will Rowlands (England) – Parent

Freddie Thomas (England) – Grandparent

Christ Tshiunza (DR Congo) – Residency (2015)

James Botham (Wales) – Born in Wales

Taulupe Faletau (Tonga) – Residency (2001)

Ellis Bevan (England) – Parent

Nick Tompkins (England) – Grandparent

Blair Murray (New Zealand) – Parent

The post “People can’t hide” – ITV Rugby’s female commentator responds to vile online trolls appeared first on Ruck.