Rugby Lionesses win – win for women and girls
When the Rugby Lions RFC women players took over a Sunday training session for the club’s U9s and U10s, they hoped to inspire the youngsters and particularly the girls in the two squads.
At Webb Ellis Road, The Rugby Lionesses delivered an enjoyable and energetic training session, demonstrating the strength and growth of women’s and girls’ rugby nationwide.
Rugby Lions begin as cubs, with an indoor parent and child setup for two to five-year-olds and continue through the age groups. The junior girls from U12 to U18s are part of a cluster section known as Fosse Falcons, combining with the Old Laurentians, Kenilworth and Shipston clubs. This creates a pathway through to the Lionesses women’s team, who have been running since 2011.
After a lunch of pizza in the clubhouse, the young players were awarded tackle licences, a new initiative promoting safe and technical tackling introduced by coach Adam Oakey. They were then invited to watch the women’s match, some running out with players as mascots.
Gemma Weddell, Rugby Lionesses captain, said: "It was truly inspiring to witness the amazing tackling and impressive skills on display at the training session. Having the young players then as mascots at the Lionesses game added to the already electric atmosphere. The sidelines were filled with roaring support, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved and really helping us bring home the win. What a fantastic celebration of girl power in rugby!"
For more stories like this, sign up to our monthly newsletter Touchline.
