Bath Rugby Foundation, the charitable arm of Bath Rugby, and Bath Rugby Ladies have teamed up to offer young women across the local area a new route into the sport.
A new Bath Rugby Ladies Mixed Ability Development team will see women who are new to the sport given the chance to learn from expert coaches and play alongside experienced players.
The new development team is part of the Foundation’s Project Rugby programme. Project Rugby is a Premiership Rugby and England Rugby programme to introduce new players to rugby, especially those from non-traditional rugby backgrounds.
Mixed ability rugby encourages social inclusion by mixing able bodied volunteers and coaches who act as facilitators to support players on the pitch.
Mixed ability rugby is not about classifying levels of ability and separating participants into tier groups; the focus of mixed ability rugby is to emphasis rugby as an inclusive sport for all players.
The Development team is not the first Mixed Ability team formed in Bath through Project Rugby.
Last season, the Walcot Warriors came together, allowing youngsters who may have missed out on playing team sports in the past the chance to play competitive fixtures.
The new team, which is open to all women aged 17 and over, will allow players to join a welcoming club and learn the sport – no matter what level they may have played in the past.
Bath Rugby Foundation Inclusion Officer, Dan Hine, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Bath Rugby Ladies and we’re all looking forward to welcoming a new group of players to a great sport.
“One of the great attractions of Bath Rugby Ladies is that we know they are incredibly welcoming as a club and new players are guaranteed to have fun on and off the pitch.
“They’ve already welcomed a lot of new players this season so anyone interested in joining does not need to worry about being a beginner.”
Sarah Burgess, Head of Section at Bath Rugby Ladies, said: “Bath Ladies are very excited to launch this new team, which will allow for more and more ladies to get involved in our sport.
“By adding an additional tier of training to our regular sessions, new players will be able to develop skills with others plus have exciting playing opportunities as the season progresses.
“As a club, we have always been open and inclusive, so this mixed ability development team solidifies our position as a team that welcomes all.”
To celebrate, Bath Rugby Ladies will host an open rugby session on Sunday 18th November at noon, for anyone interested, where you can meet other rugby women and enjoy a fun training session.
All you need to bring is gym kit and trainers you don’t mind getting dirty, plus a water bottle and something to change into.
After the rugby session, all attendees will have earned themselves some delicious food from InTents Catering and will also be given a goodie bag with some new stash and freebies.
The Bath Rugby Ladies Double Header will then kick off at 2pm. The 2nd XV, face Westbury at 2pm and the 1st XV battle it out against Thurrock.
This new development side will be open to all ladies over the age of 17, of all abilities. Training will be every Thursday, starting on 29th November at Lambridge Training Ground.
To find out more about Mixed Ability rugby, contact [email protected].
