3 Reasons why Rugby is Great for Girls
Rugby is, and always has been, traditionally a man’s game, yet gradually, more women and girls are muscling in on the action. In June 2019, World Rugby launched a new ‘Women in Rugby’ brand identity and landmark global campaign ‘Try and Stop Us’ aimed at driving increased participation and engagement among fans, audiences, players and investors in the women’s game. Participation levels are at an all-time high with 2.7 million players globally — making up more than a quarter of the global playing population — and a 28% increase in registered players since 2017. For the second year running, globally, more young girls have started to play rugby than boys and more than 40% of rugby’s 400 million fan base is female.
When I was growing up, I don’t think I knew any girls who played rugby. Part of me wishes I had had the opportunity. There are some people who like to say that rugby is not for girls but I say they’re wrong and I’ve written this blog for We are Girls in Sport to explain why.
For any parents who wish for their girls to grow up to be strong, resilient, confident and to understand the true meaning of teamwork, then rugby is an empowering sport that teaches many valuable lessons. When my daughter was six years old she announced that she wanted to play rugby. I wasn’t sure where her desire came from, but somewhere along the way, it was rugby she wanted and nothing else. I had no objections to her becoming part of a team at a local club, if it wasn’t going to be another ‘passing phase’. I spoke to her and reminded her that if she made a commitment to be part of a club and we bought her the kit, she would need to make a commitment in return. This felt like quite a grown-up conversation to have with a six-year-old, but we really didn’t want it to be something she would then give up a week later.
Sure enough, she continued to remind us that she wanted to play rugby, so as soon as rugby season was about to start, we registered her at a local Kent rugby club, a respected, family friendly club which welcomed boys and girls to their mini rugby teams with open arms.
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Tag rugby is a great opportunity for boys and girls to get a feel for the game of rugby in their early years. They can be out in the fresh air and run off some energy for an hour and a half, which for my kids was invaluable. Training in the winter months wasn’t always as fun as it sounded; there were plenty of mornings when I had to almost drag our daughter out of bed to a training session in the rain and there I was, standing pitch side in an anorak and a flask of hot coffee watching her — week in and week out. But there were many weeks when she loved it and over time, her confidence started to soar.
She made plenty of friends and the encouraging coaches, who I can’t thank enough, recognised her sprinting ability and worked hard to get the best out of her. Once she had the ball, she had the best chance to shoot up the wing and score a try — that became ‘her thing’. Week after week, the coaches gently pushed her and reminded her that she was good at the game. Fast forward four years and Erin continues to play in U10’s with just three girls left in the squad.
She is now moving into a newly formed U11’s squad — the first of its kind at Tunbridge Wells RFC. It’s a mixed age group squad aimed at girls in Years 4, 5 and 6. The first session, held on 12 January 2020, attracted 15 girls and was run by Tammy Samuel, Head Coach of U13s and former England International supported by experienced players from the U13s squad and returning coach Julia Baldock. The session started with a mix of warm-ups, assault course and relay races. From there the girls moved into a game of touch rugby so that the new girls could get used to running forwards and passing backwards.
“It was really fantastic to see so many girls at the session and to watch our more experienced Wells’ players coaching and encouraging the new girls,” said Tammy. “This is just the first step in developing an U11 squad; we have more try out sessions planned and we have experienced coaches lined up to support the girls on their rugby journey.”
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Here are three great reasons why rugby is good for girls:
1. She will learn how strong her body is
Many magazines try and remind us what the ideal woman’s body is ‘supposed’ to look like. “Lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks!” along with many other statements which can communicate the wrong messages to girls and young women, who will then assume there is something wrong with their bodies. Thankfully, the world of rugby is very different to those glossy magazines. It doesn’t matter whether you are 5’2 or 5’10, 8st or 11st — there’s a position that will capitalise on those qualities.
2. She will learn that failure is part of winning
In those moments when you are losing as a team, you need to come together to understand why and what you need to do to improve next time. When my daughter’s team lost three out of four games, they re-grouped, came together as a team, worked out what skill each of the girls had so they could come back stronger. They went back to the next festival to win 3 of out 4 games.
3. She’ll become more resilient and confident
Rugby can give girls both social confidence and body confidence, which are two major positives of the sport. Rugby will make you stronger mentally and physically, helping girls in new activities, sporting or otherwise.
In summary, as a parent, it has been a good experience to watch our daughter thrive at rugby. I am proud that she’s chosen a sport that shows her how to tackle, but importantly, how to do it properly and safely. She’s learnt a game that’s loved by people all over the world. The England Rugby website reminds us of their core values — Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship. These are what make the game special for those who enjoy the environment and culture they create. I’ll be back pitch side this winter and perhaps if your daughter wants to give it a try, I might see you there too.
Read more about Erin’s story from Erin herself here.