Girls looking for an exciting sport to try will be welcomed by Chinnor RFC

Girls looking for an exciting sport to try will be welcomed by Chinnor RFC.

The team was only started in September and although they have between eight and ten girls training and playing regularly - they really need more to be able to play 12-a-side rugby, with a five player scrum.

The Thame club will be seeking new recruits from school years 7/8 to boost the U12/U13 squad.

Then in September new year 7 girls will be encouraged to join as the older girls move up an age group through the season.

Coached by qualified female coaches Ellie Angove and Alice Biba both from Oxford Brookes University women’s rugby football club with support from Alex Bond, girls don’t need any experience.

They’ll receive full training in all aspects of the game - which is full contact, not touch rugby - with sessions on a Wednesday at 7-8pm and a Sunday 1-2pm at the Kingsey Road ground, whenever rugby is able to resume after the coronavirus crisis.

“The club’s ethos is to develop players to become versatile rugby players with good individual skills and a healthy team spirit,” said Lisa Fincken, who is responsible for the squad’s admin.

“The girls recently travelled to Twickenham Stoop with coach Alex Bond to witness the England women’s team crush Wales for the record-breaking win as part of the Six Nations,” said Lisa.

“They got to watch the women warm up and were also able to meet some of the England Roses players as well. This was a great experience for the girls to see first hand such great role models of the game and it really encouraged and spurred them on to continue to play the game,”

She added: “Currently a lot of secondary schools only play touch rugby with the girls, leaving the more thrilling, exciting and tactical game to the boys. This is something that hopefully will change in the future as more girls rugby team form.”

By joining with other clubs, who are also lacking in numbers, they have started playing fixtures on Sundays.

They visited Didcot RFC earlier this month where they also joined with the Gosford Blacks to play.

And they took part in the mini festival at High Wycombe RFC, with the girls again joining with other clubs to play together.

The club would like to encourage any girl who thinks they might like to try it, to look forward to a future session. Current players will warmly welcome any new players to go along.

Girls will only need to bring a drink, a mouth guard and boots if they have them.

Alternatively they can contact me Lisa (team administrator) on [email protected]

Training and fixtures are always supported by a qualified first aider and the club’s volunteers all undergo DBS checks and safeguarding policy and procedure.