COMMUNITY SUPPORT SECURED

This funding will be channelled into all levels of the community game with a focus upon strengthening and increasing the number of women’s and girls’ teams and providing suitable competition structures. 

The central focus will be an emphasis on proactive development stemming directly from the club, with the provision of funding being made on a local level.  This will be in a variety of forms including financial assistance and support for club coaches to make links with schools for recruitment purposes, the development of junior club and regional competitions, and coach and referee development. 

WRU Development Officers will now be the direct contact point for all current and potential women’s and girls teams and will work closely with the WWRU to ensure specific plans are developed for each of their areas. 

Alongside the WRU Development Officers, the Sports Council for Wales funding has enabled the appointment a Club Development Officer on a 1 year basis, working specifically in the Swansea, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot unitary authorities.  Gareth Bennett, currently a WWRU Development Officer, has been appointed to this role and will work solely in these areas which have been identified as under represented in the game.

In a further paramount move, the WRU have agreed to fund a WWRU Community Manager who will oversee the club development programme and ensure the game is moving towards the objectives set out in the WWRU Strategic Plan.  Nicola Smith has been appointed to the role, bringing a background in sports lecturing and grassroots coaching.  She is currently part of the U14 East Wales girls and Garndiffaith girls coaching teams and was involved with Croesyceiliog on a playing basis. 

Jilly Holroyd, Manager Women’s and Girls’ Rugby, said “We now have a framework and personnel in place which can be used to develop and grow the game from grassroots up.  Nicola, Gareth and the WRU Development Officers will work alongside clubs throughout Wales to help us reach our targets for community rugby and assure rugby’s place as a major women’s and girls’ sport.”