Benefits for the Girls

Take this as fair warning. This post is going to be about rugby. Specifically about the benefits that playing rugby has for girls.

This is something that has been bugging me for a while. What are the issues that girls face, particularly preteen and teenage girls? I remember really struggling with the changes that my body went through which, in turn, had a huge impact on my confidence levels and self image. Another area I really struggled with was navigating friendships with girls. I didn’t have that many close female friends. Those friends that I did have during those years have become more like acquaintances as the years have passed. Out of the five female friends I had at school there is only one who I am in contact with regularly.

I appreciate that my experience is unique to me however, I am sure that there are girls out there now who are struggling with friendships, their body image and their overall confidence. In addition, they are also trying to get a handle on the hormones and the impacts that their hormones have on their emotional wellbeing. Not to mention the pressure to work out the path you want your life to take and finding your place in the world.

Hang on Mumma Bear, you said this post was going to be about rugby and it is. It is my honest belief that rugby is the most inclusive competitive team sport that there is. It is the only sport where there is a role for everybody regardless of your shape, size, skills and strength. Anybody can play rugby but in order to play rugby you need to be exposed to the game and offered the opportunity to explore it.

In year 7 boys have a part of the school year where they have rugby as part of their PE curriculum. That does not mean that every boy is going to fall in love with it and play for the school competitively or sign up at a local rugby club. However, it does mean that they have the opportunity to engage with the game and decide whether they enjoy it or not.

I did some research to see what sports are offered for the girls to play and got me thinking about my experiences taking part in those sports at school. The most obvious is netball. I am not a particularly tall person although I can jump and run. When I took part in the house competition at school I was generally put as wing attack/defence. I could pass the ball and I could jump to deflect the ball from reaching an opposition player. My footwork was not great so often would fall or take too many steps. The next sport on offer was hockey, again I am quick but I am not the most coordinated of people. It became clear that I was not a hockey player when I consistently tripped over the ball or a stick, including my own at times, resulting in a face full of astro-turf or the occasional head clash with a stick whilst falling . So its a no from me.

Dance and gymnastics were fun, I could cartwheel and do handstands but again, it wasn’t a strong point of mine as I did struggle to keep time and would forget the routines regularly as demonstrated during my GCSE PE assessment. I know right? I did in fact, opt to take PE as a GCSE and I did achieve a passing grade, I am not sure how as I completely fluffed the practical assessment elements.

To play tennis you need good hand eye coordination, my eyesight isn’t the best. As you need to be able to see the ball that didn’t really click for me either. Badminton was ok but the shuttlecock moved too slowly, meaning I would get distracted easily. Frankly I found it rather boring and could never hit the bloody thing over the net anyway. So that was that one out. Volleyball was introduced later but again being a short lass it wasn’t a strong point.

The only element I really had any success in was athletics. Specifically as a 200m sprinter and as the third leg of the 400m relay race. My strength was my ability to run at speed around corners. The 100m wasn’t quite long enough for me to get to full speed and I didn’t have the stamina for the 300m. Long distance running was a definite no. The hurdles were a little high for me so during my attempts I often got a bashed shin which wasn’t much fun either.

We didn’t have the opportunity to play cricket when I was at school. Instead we played rounders. I was a reasonable fielder however, I would get bored and distracted so not a strong point for me. Football wasn’t an option either during my time in education. Thankfully that seems to be widely available now reflecting a positive change in the attitudes surrounding womens and girls sports, primarily due to the success of the Lionesses internationally.

Which begs the question why hasn’t the same happened surrounding rugby? The Red Roses have been incredibly successful on the international stage for decades including winning the World Cup in 1994 and 2014, not to mention numerous grand slam wins.

I was curious to see how many schools in my local area offer rugby to girls. I checked out 14 different school websites. I found that 6 schools, one of which is a public school, offer girls rugby as an extra curricular activity after school or at lunchtime. One of those 6 schools offer girls rugby as an elective part of the curriculum. From what I could see online this is a 12 week course which the pupils can choose for themselves.

According to the RFU there are 800 clubs nationally who have girls/womens teams which is a great number. Unfortunately it isn’t feasible for every girl that can benefit from playing rugby to become members of their local rugby club. There is a financial element involved which for some can be a substantial barrier. I know it wouldn’t have been an option for me growing up regardless of how much I love the sport.

In reality, the only way I would have experienced rugby at an earlier age is if it had been a sport offered at school the way that it is for the boys. I think this should be the ultimate goal. I also think it would be a great resource to help combat some of the mental health issues that girls face during puberty.

The reason I think this is because it is, in my honest opinion, the most inclusive sport in terms of ability, shape and strength. If you look at any women’s team from grassroots level to the PWR (Premiership Women’s Rugby) you will see there are women of all shapes and sizes. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Some players are really quick, some players aren’t fans of running. Some girls love the physicality making really big hits while others love watching them work from a safe distance. That is perfectly acceptable too. Due to the variations in size and shapes I think it would be highly beneficial for girls relating to their body image and self confidence.

Personally I have gained a whole new level of respect and gratitude for my body since I began playing and training. I push it to the limits and it amazes me how much it can tolerate.

In addition, the bonds that are formed with team mates is invaluable. We may not always see eye to eye, but we always respect each other and I know that if I was ever truly in need of support or help I could rely on them. That is important, particularly during those teenage years when your learning about your body, relationships, crushes and even dealing with us oldies.

I was having a conversation with my children about this a couple of days ago. My daughter got very frustrated about how unfair it was, that when she starts at secondary school she will not be able to play rugby like her brother does. She cannot understand why not. In her words “Why cant we play as well? Do they think we are all fragile delicate things who can’t handle it?” Exactly. There are enough schools locally that there could be a little friendly competition in a similar way to the boys. I would like to know the answer.

Within our team I have noticed a big difference between the girls that have been playing rugby within the girls section, who have joined the senior team, compared with other girls of similar ages who have never played. There is a confidence, self belief and resilience within the girls who play that is missing with those that haven’t.

Womens rugby is growing, it is a world cup year after all. Is there a better opportunity than a home world cup to expand even further? The key to growing the game and expanding it is to make it even more accessible.

Am I saying that every girl that has a go is going to fall in love with it? Of course not however, unless they are given the opportunity to give it a try how will they know. It is certainly an option that should be explored because, the girls that haven’t found a place where they fit within society, may find that place within this sport.

It took me 33 years to find my place and no one should have to wait that long. Now that I have found it, I am not going to stop banging on every door and encourage as many girls as possible to join in.

They should not have to wait any longer. The fact this hasn’t been addressed within our schools already is baffling given that we, as a society, agree girls are just as capable as boys. Why does it not seem to apply with this sport? Is it misogyny or ignorance I wonder.

Maybe its as simple as a funding issue. If that’s the case why can’t the schools approach the local clubs and ask for assistance. I believe that Exeter Chiefs are involved with some schools locally to deliver rugby to girls as are some other local clubs in my area.

Maybe its due to a lack of females involved in the sport on a wider scale that isnt helpful to the expansion. That is a whole other can of worms for a separate post I think otherwise we could be stuck here all night.

The long and short of this rant is that boys have the opportunity to play and benefit from this sport at school and the girls do not. All the ways in which boys benefit apply for the girls too and for it to be unavailable is, in my opinion, a disgrace.

After all, in 2025 why are the sports offered by schools dependant on your gender anyway?