Rugby club hosts first girls' schools taster event

About 250 pupils from schools across Cambridgeshire gave rugby a go

A rugby club is hoping to build on the Red Roses' success by hosting its first large-scale girls' rugby schools taster festival.

Cambridge Rugby Club has seen more girls try out the sport since England defeated Canada 33-13 to win the Women's World Cup in September.

Schools from across Cambridgeshire attended the event at its Grantchester Road ground and about 250 pupils took part.

One convert to the sport was Phoebe, from Trumpington Community College, who said rugby was "built for me".

Players included friends Ayn, Tamsin and Phoebe, from Trumpington Community College

"I love being with my friends; being with people I haven't met. We learn together and that's the fun about rugby," she said.

Schoolmate Tamsin also enjoyed the event, saying rugby was "quite a technical game; you can only pass backwards and have to think about how to move forward without being offside".

Bewick Bridge Community Primary School pupils Hattie, Krystal, Maya and Chloe said they had a good morning

Ten schools took part, with many pupils trying out the game for the first time.

"Not so long ago, we had one of the Cambridge rugby players come to the school and talk about it and the girls were really keen to get involved," said Judith Appleby, of Bewick Bridge Community Primary School in Fulbourn.

"They are absolutely loving it."

David Bettinson coaching Trumpington Community College pupils how to kick

David Bettinson, the rugby U14 girls' coach, said: "Rugby is more than just catching, passing, tackling.

"Rugby is working as a team, learning how to win and lose together; becoming a leader, inspiring others, communication - all of these things that bring us together gets them off screens and [they] have a great time in the fresh air."

The number of girls he coached had grown from six to 15, thanks to the Red Roses' win, he added.

The club now has 60 girls aged eight to 18 playing the game, and more than 50 women players.

U16 Rubies player Izzie said it was quite special to see so many girls trying out the sport for the first time

Some of the club's players took part in the event, including Izzie, from March, who plays for the club's U16 Rubies.

"I've been welcomed in from the first day," she said.

"It's very inclusive. There's people from different backgrounds, different ethnicities; there's people different shapes and sizes and we're all best friends," she said.

Niamh McHugh, U18s women's pathway lead for professional rugby club Saracens, was there to explain the possibilities open to players, from grassroots club games to elite clubs.

"Opportunities are continuing to grow with more engagement and more funding into the sport," she said.

"Playing opportunities are increasing, and opportunities around it, like coaching, refereeing, management."