Rugby club is breaking down barriers in a bid to get more young girls into the sport

  • ITV Anglia reporter Ravneet Nandra spoke with members of Old Northamptonians

A rugby club in Northamptonshire is trying to get more young girls to have a go and get into the sport, hoping it can break down barriers and show the game is for everyone.

Old Northamptonians have teamed up with England Rugby to set up an Allianz Inner Warrior event to introduce girls into the sport, even if they have never played before.

Sam Moore, who coaches the under 12's, said the girls have been getting stuck in with the tackling.

He told ITV News Central: "There's a sport that you're going to like and with football, it's running about kicking the ball, with netball again, running about and passing the ball and with rugby, it's slightly different because its involving the tackling and some girls like that physical contact.

"And you can see they physically want to get involved. They want to get to the ball, they want to get that ball, get that player, get them on the ground.

"It just seems to be something inside of them and it's something they like doing."

Old Northamptonians have teamed up with England Rugby to set up an Allianz Inner Warrior event to introduce girls into the sport. Credit: ITV Anglia

According to World Rugby, around the world, female participation levels are at an all-time high with 2.7 million players, and a 28% increase in registered players since 2017.

Old Northamptonians want to capitalise on that and create the next generation of professional rugby players.

Ellie Clarke-Rodgers is captain for the under 12s team, but has been playing for less than a year.

She said: "I honestly don't know what I would do without rugby, it's like one of the best sports ever.

"Most girls get scared with the tackling but when you get involved with it, you just forget about it really because you're having so much fun making new friends."

Ellie hopes to get into the under 18's team when she's old enough.

According to World Rugby, around the world, female participation levels are at an all-time high with 2.7 million players. Credit: ITV Anglia

Many in the group think participation in women's rugby has not come far enough yet.

Emily Cook in the under 18's team says she thinks there is always room for improvement.

"There's obviously this stigma around that rugby women have to be manly," she said.

"You can go and do your hair makeup and go and play rugby. I put my fresh fake tan on ready to go to rugby and you can do both.

"You can play rugby and be your stereotypical girly-girl or you can not. There's always a place for everybody on the rugby pitch."With the Women's World Cup only a few years away and the Saints ground so close to them, Old Northamptonians say there's no better time than now to get more young girls playing.

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