BARKERS Butts RFC hosted its first ever Allianz Inner Warrior Festival last weekend with over 40 women taking part.
The festival, which comprised three teams including Towcester and Camp Hill alongside Barkers Butts, was part of the Allianz Inner Warrior Series and included a range of players aged from 18-50+ years-old.
The teams played three matches, each of 30 minutes in length, to provide an opportunity to get a real taste for rugby in a semi-competitive environment.
A number of the players involved were mothers who had been inspired to take up the sport after watching their children play junior rugby as well as those who had come through the junior pathway at Barkers Butts and had now graduated into the senior team.
Barkers Butts RFC established the senior women’s team in order to complete the pathway for junior girls to enable them to keep playing rugby once they have reached adulthood.
Emma Sly, First XV Women’s Coach SAID: “Barkers Butts RFC is really proactive when it comes to the women’s game. Our women and girls’ programmes and pathways are on an equal footing to the men and boys’ side of the club which allows us to run a really healthy and popular women’s section.
“Today was a fantastic opportunity for more women to have the chance to play rugby, come and discover what it’s all about and have a great time while enjoying some exercise as well.
“It was great to see 42 women here playing and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back to the club in the near future to play more regularly.”
Tess Murray, Barkers Butts RFC Captain added: “I had a great time today meeting new people and playing a mini festival. As a Mum I have watched my son and daughter play regularly and I wanted to give it a try myself, so started playing last season.
“I thoroughly enjoyed today and can’t wait to play another match again soon.”
Rugby union in England is welcoming more players to the game as a result of the Red Roses’ inspiring 30-match record breaking run to the Rugby World Cup Final and the excitement generated around the Rugby World Cup 2021 tournament as a whole.
New women’s and girls’ teams are being set up nationwide, joining over 600 clubs who already have established women’s and girls’ sections.
Schools have been teaming up with local rugby clubs to host ‘Rugby World Cup tournaments’ and there are more and more stories of mum’s and daughters now playing in the same teams having taken up rugby recently.
Clare Cooper, Growth Manager for Women and Girls at the RFU said: “The Allianz Inner Warrior campaign was established to introduce rugby to women and girls who have never played before, or for those who want to get back involved in our sport.
“Since its inception, over 25,000 women have attended Allianz Inner Warrior camps with many going on to join both Touch and contact teams.
“As a result of the Red Roses success and campaigns such as this one, rugby is becoming one of the fastest growing women’s sports in England and we are putting elements in place to provide as many opportunities to play as possible.
“The festival at Barkers Butts was an amazing example of the Allianz Inner Warrior Series encouraging more women into the sport, enjoying themselves and taking it up on a more regular basis. We look forward to seeing more of these events in the future.”
For anyone interested in giving rugby a try head to: findrugby.com to find your nearest playing opportunity.
