3 Reasons why Rugby is not a Boys Game

Guilty Mother - 13 Nov 17

Rugby is, and always has been, traditionally a man’s game, yet gradually, more and more women are muscling in on the action. England Rugby women are thriving and in 2014 became world champions at last.

When I was growing up, I don’t think I knew any girls who played rugby. Part of me wishes I had the opportunity. There are some people who like to say that rugby is not for girls but I say they’re wrong and I’ll explain why.

For any parents who wish for their girls to grow up to be strong, resilient, confident and to understand the true meaning of teamwork, then rugby is an empowering sport that teaches many valuable lessons.

When my daughter was six years old, she boldly announced she wanted to play rugby. I wasn’t sure where her desire came from, but somewhere along the way, it was rugby she wanted and nothing else. Ballet and gymnastics had been tossed aside for Taekwondo and now rugby. I had no objections to her becoming part of a team at a local club, as long as it wasn’t going to be another ‘passing phase’. I spoke to her and reminded her that if she made a commitment to be part of a club and we bought her the kit, she would need to make a commitment in return. This felt like quite a grown up conversation to have with a six-year-old, but we really didn’t want it to be something she would then give up a week later.

Sure enough, she continued to remind us that she wanted to play rugby, so as soon as rugby season was about to start, we registered her at local rugby club, which welcomed boys and girls to their mini rugby teams with open arms. Tag rugby is a great opportunity for boys and girls to get out in the fresh air and run around the pitch for an hour and a half. Training in the winter months wasn’t always as fun as it sounded. There were plenty of mornings when I had to almost drag our daughter out of bed to a training session in the rain and there I was, standing pitch side in an anorak and a flask of hot coffee watching her – week in and week out. But there were many weeks where she loved it and over time, her confidence started to soar.

She made plenty of friends and the encouraging coaches, who I can’t thank enough, recognised her sprinting ability and worked hard to get the best out of her. Once she had the ball, she had the best chance to shoot up the wing and score a try. That became ‘her thing’. Week after week, the coaches gently pushed her and reminded her that she was good at the game.

In Spring 2017, something great happened. For the first time in the history of the Rugby Club, the club had enough girls in U7’s to put together an all-girls team. Not that the girls didn’t enjoy playing with the boys, that wasn’t the point. The aim was to get a team of all girls together to see what they could achieve. And due to the lack of girls teams at other clubs, this new girls squad would now be playing against boys. They have since been off to a few rugby festivals and at the last one, won 3 out of 4 games.

Here are my 3 great reasons why rugby is good for girls: –

1. She will learn how strong her body is

Many magazines try and remind us what the ideal woman’s body is supposed to look like. “Lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks!” along with many other statements which can communicate the wrong messages to girls and young women, who will then assume there is something wrong with their body. Thankfully, the world of rugby is very different to those glossy magazines. It doesn’t matter whether you are 5’2 or 5’10, 8st or 11st – there’s a position that will capitalize on those strengths.

2. She will learn that failure is part of winning

In those moments when you are losing as a team, you need to come together to understand why and what you need to do to improve next time. When my daughters team lost 3 of out 4 games, they re-grouped, came together as a team, worked out what skill each of the girls was good at so they could come back stronger. They went back to the next festival to win 3 of out 4 games.

3. She’ll become more resilient and confident

Rugby can give girls both social confidence and body confidence, which are two major positives of the sport. Rugby will make you stronger and can help girls to do a lot of activities that you might not have been able to do before.

In summary, as a parent, it has been a good experience to watch our daughter thrive in rugby. I’m proud that she’s chosen a sport that shows her how to tackle, but importantly, how to do it properly and safely. She’s learnt a game that’s loved by people all over the world. The England Rugby website reminds us of their core values – Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship. These are what make the game special for those who enjoy the environment and culture they create.

Guilty Mother will be back pitch side this winter. Probably in the pouring rain clasping a semi warm flask of coffee. But would I rather be in the warm somewhere? Nah, I’m just happy watching her thrive on the pitch.

Guilty Mother

Guilty Mother is an honest and (sometimes funny) blog for mums who feel guilty about juggling work, kids and home-life. Here's to feeling less guilty!

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