Royston women scrum down for fun-filled rugby taster session

It was more a case of breaking gender stereotypes than breaking bones as nearly 40 women from Royston scrummed down for a fun rugby taster session.

The women’s team was the brainchild of Hannah Paradis, Laura McGillivray and Charlotte Clarke who decided, that as well as being ‘rugby mums’, they wanted a piece of the action themselves.

Charlotte said: “Call it a mid-life crisis but watching the older children throwing themselves into the tackle pads just looked like brilliant fun.

“Chatting with a few other ‘rugby mums’ it was clear I wasn’t the only one that felt like this and we decided we’d have a go at setting up our own women’s team.”

The Pitch Up and Play event was a tremendous success, and the newbies were put through their paces with a special tailored session.

The team is now looking to get sponsorship and is hoping to recruit even more players, with a view to competing in their first friendly match by the end of the season.

They train on Sundays between 12.15pm and 1.15pm on the Heath, followed by a well deserved post-training drink at the Heath bar. Royston Rugby Club treasurer Vicky Green said: “There’s a position for everyone in rugby. Everybody works together.”