Bury Rugby Club are encouraging women to unleash their Inner Warrior by attending their free taster session as part of England Rugby’s new nationwide campaign.
Launched this month, the ‘Meet Your Inner Warrior’ campaign will see clubs across the country stage special sessions to encourage more women and girls to take up contact rugby within their communities.
The free ‘Warrior Camps’ are fun and informal, teaching basic skills and drills, and giving women the chance to play rugby in the hope they will embrace the sport and join a local club.
The North West-based club will host the event at their Radcliffe Road base, on Sunday, January 29 from 2pm onwards, with a fun coaching session followed by a prosecco and cream tea afternoon.
And Bury RUFC women and girls manager Phil Kay believes the sessions could help break down mental barriers for women in the area taking up the sport.
“We’re looking to do a fun session with a round-robin coaching doing some enjoyable bits and pieces to introduce women not only to the sport, but the camaraderie everyone at Bury has,” he said.
“Everyone involved is completely new to the game, it’s starting completely from scratch and that’s a great place to be able to be at.
“But we’re also keen to be flexible, we want to be fluid and cater to the needs of everyone who attends.
“Our aim is to get as many people to know about us as possible. We’ve had so many women who have come from a small sporting background and played an important part with the club.
“We have 12 or 14 in the team but we’re looking to add to that. But it’s all about longevity, making it enjoyable enough for them to stay at the club.
“So the fun element is really important, and we’re looking to get the women who have already been involved with the club to talk about just why they have done so.”
The session will be one of 100 ‘Warrior Camps’ run by clubs across the country from January 19-29 with the sessions aimed at women between 18 and 35.
The RFU is asking women to break out of their comfort zone by playing the sport, and comes on the back of the organisation achieving its objective of getting 25,000 women in England playing contact rugby.
Steve Grainger, RFU Rugby Development Director said: “We set ourselves an ambitious target when launching our women and girls strategy in 2014; to get 25,000 women participating in contact rugby.
“Despite the ever-growing appetite for the sport that we have witnessed through achieving our target one year ahead of schedule, we know there is still work to be done to ensure women are aware of the opportunities out there for them to participate in rugby, whether for fun or at a competitive level.
“The upcoming ‘Warrior Camps’ are a great chance for newcomers or returning players to take part in the sport through a fun and informal session.”
Anyone interested in attending a Pitch Up and Play ‘Warrior Camp’ event near them should bring trainers and usual workout gear. To find the nearest session and sign up, visit www.englandrugby.com/innerwarrior
