Nerves were high and adrenaline was overpowering thoughts. It was at this moment that everyone was crowded together on the fresh grass, holding on tightly to each other, in preparation for a final pep talk, waiting for history to be made.
Standing in the middle of a marked green field there were 15 anxious but excited ladies in navy kit. All preparation had been done, and all girls were now fully focused and anticipating the first contact and their first rush of the game. It was now time to attentively wait for the referee’s whistle to blow, and signal the start of the first 90 minutes of women’s rugby played by representatives of Bournemouth University. On Wednesday 3rd November 2010 these 15 ladies made history in Plymouth as Bournemouth University’s first ever women’s rugby team.
Breaking the barriers in a predominately male sport is never easy, but Bournemouth University was ready to give it a try. This year an all female rugby union team has been officially developed for all female students that attend Bournemouth University and it’s affiliated colleges.
The hard work was not just for those 90 minutes on the pitch. Twice a week, and on some numbingly cold evenings, the dedicated Bournemouth University women’s rugby team braved the elements to attend their essential training sessions. The sun regularly set with the only form of light coming from generator powered flood lights which illuminated the training grounds at Meyrick Park. The team players always arrived in numbers, wrapped up in several layers, ready to take on whatever the weather might throw at them. They were prepared and more that willing to learn the skills and become knowledgeable about the sport of rugby. After a quick briefing about the aims of Bournemouth University Ladies Rugby, the session the training began.
Creating a women’s team was a daunting task for coach Libby Peak. How would you encourage young ladies to play a sport that is mainly seen to be played by strong burly men that can result in several nasty cuts and bruises? She explains ‘I tend to try to start with non contact games such as tag, that this helps to get the girls interested and then you can slowly introduce contact.’ Libby added ‘for any gender, you have to make training fun and entertaining. Girls tend to enjoy the social side of training a lot more than boys so a more relaxed atmosphere works well too’.
Good publicity about the new team meant that there were ample eager young ladies, turning up to training, willing to give it a shot. That was the hardest part done. The next step was to slowly ease the players into the format of rugby, taking the training at the pace they were comfortable with. This had a very positive effect on the team as they progressed greatly through each session, rapidly learning more and more about the sport they would come to be passionate about. As the pioneer team consisted mainly of eager newcomers the sessions began with basic, but essential skills. It was not long before all the girls, many of whom had never picked up a rugby ball before, were showing great potential, picking up skills and taking to rugby like ducks to water.
Following such great progression, by all players, the team moved on to rugby’s trademark skill, ‘the tackle’, and that’s where the fun began. The girls are told in their pre-match huddle to “think about your first hit”. From there it is in their mind; they see their opponent; the adrenaline is pumping through their bodies; they gear themselves up in full confidence that they will make that tackle count. A physical sport like rugby is loved because of the intensity and adrenaline involved in the game. The tackle is something, that when perfected, weakens your opposition, it lets you control, allowing you to play the rugby you want. With confidence Libby told how she was really impressed with the teams’ progression over the first term, “They have come on leaps and bounds since the beginning and really got stuck in. Hopefully we can start more technical training now that the basic skill level has reached a very high standard.”
Most of the team had similar motivations and influences to come play rugby. Newcomer to rugby, Ruth Daniel, had a few reasons why she got into rugby, “I joined because I love rugby and my dad plays, so that has a slight influence. I love the atmosphere on and off the pitch and being in the team makes me feel like I’m doing something original. I’ve made friends on the team and discovered not only do we have a common interest but we seem to have similar personalities.”
Other members like Vicki Hibberd and Ruth Lilley also enjoy the social side of being part of a closely knit team. Ruth says she joined originally to keep her friend company at training but then stayed because it’s very social, keeps her fit and gets her into playing sports again. Vicki had played before she joined Bournemouth University, “I joined because I missed the team feeling and all the good friends that I had made and to get some aggression out!” She said the fitness side is also a main reason why she, and many of the other ladies, joined the University rugby team. Sophie Lord agreed, “I love rugby and needed to get fit. I’m enjoying it because I’ve actually had the chance to be on the pitch and play.”
It’s not just all work and no play for the squad, come April the team will be trading Bournemouth’s green pitches for the soft sands of Salou. The boots will be left behind in England and flip-flops worn in Spain as the team plans to try their hand at beach rugby against the other British Universities who will join them in Salou. The girls are hoping to pick up a win in the competition and not just a tan.
The future looks bright for Bournemouth University Women’s rugby team. Starting from nothing in September, there is now a strong team of girls who are becoming more and more accustomed to the rugby way of life. Coach Libby is very excited about the future of the team and she said ‘the University team has a lot of players with lots of potential”. Libby has set out some very clear goals and proclaimed with great confidence, “I hope to get the girls integrated with the local women’s team in Bournemouth and increase Bournemouth University Women’s rugby squad size to 22 by the end of the academic year. I think next year we can really compete for league champions”.
The hardest term is now over and there is much to look forward to for the rest of the season. The ladies made history on Wednesday 3rd November 2010 and they will make sure that the women’s rugby team of Bournemouth University is here to stay.
Shauna Hall's Blog 