Five events ran at Caithness, Peterhead, Stewartry, Dunfermline and Garioch, welcoming players who were giving rugby a try for the first time as well as women who were making their return to the game following the pandemic.

Making her debut to contact rugby, Eilidh Paterson from Aberfeldy RFC said: “The event has been really good. Meeting new people and learning new skills has been great. Our team has only been on the go since September so to get some game time and full contact practice too has been fantastic!”

Returning to rugby following the pandemic, Megan Powell from Crieff RFC added: “This is the first time that some of our players have ever played contact rugby, so for them the event has been a really good learning curve.

“Our team has only been going for a few months before the first lockdown, so to see them come out and play against some more developed teams, gel together with so much energy has been absolutely fantastic. To have so many people be so keen and come along.”

Also making her return to contact rugby at the Caithness event was Erin Green from Inverness Craig Dunain RFC, who said: “This has been a brilliant opportunity for women to get together regardless of their skill set. The event allowed us to engage in a fun and safe way, experiencing coaching and development inputs from Scottish Rugby.

“The team loved the fact that we were able to progress at our own pace and support one another in learning about the game and what it has to offer both on and off the pitch. We can’t wait for the next event and would encourage women from all clubs to get involved in future opportunities.”

“Don’t be afraid to give new things a try! 90 percent of our team have never played before, but they have caught the rugby bug. It’s a great way to socialise and it’s a great pick-me-up for the week.”
Megan Powell, Crieff RFC

Elsewhere in the country, young girls were also enjoying similar development opportunities.

In Renfrewshire, 95 girls from 10 different clubs aged between 10 and 17 made their way to Paisley RFC on Sunday 15 August.

The day saw players enjoy a mixture of skills-based workshops including kicking, off-loading and ball presentation, before playing a mixture of touch and contact rugby in 7 and 10-aside teams.

Louise Smith, Midi-Girls Head Coach at Paisley said: “We have had such positive feedback from the girls and coaches who attended. It was a joy to see so many girls smiling and showing their passion for the sport.

“For us as a club, to have been able to host and facilitate such a successful event less than a year after launching our women and girl’s pathway was fantastic. The girl’s game in Scotland is going from strength to strength just now and it’s been great to showcase what these young players have to offer.”

View our Gallery from the Women’s Game Play Opportunities and Girls’ Development Day below.

How to get involved

Find a club near you using our club finder, or visit learn more about other opportunities via Everyone’s Game.

Our Rugby Development team will also be hosting a Women and Girls Development Series, delivering on a number of events throughout the upcoming season.

This Development Series will provide meaningful and appropriate opportunities for new and developing players to experience the game in a safe, supportive and enjoyable environment, offering flexibility to help overcome barriers to participation and assisting clubs in developing their capacity to support and facilitate Women and Girls’ rugby.

To view the upcoming schedule of events and find out to get involved, click HERE.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the program, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – contact details are included in our schedule documents above.

Women’s Game Play Opportunities and Girl’s Development Day gallery