The Welsh Colleges Women’s Rugby team has won the British Colleges Championship Cup for the last five years. The new squad now in training for the British Colleges Championship 2014 starting on 4 April at Bath University is blessed with a bigger talent pool, better facilities and more international level coaches than ever before.
Since the WRU started supporting women’s rugby in colleges 18 months ago, alongside colleges’ own investment through Welsh Colleges Sport, rugby has become an increasingly popular choice for young women at college.
Two of the lead coaches – Gr?p Llandrillo Menai’s Jenny Davies and Coleg y Cymoedd’s Gemma Hallett – are not only sport lecturers but also Welsh international players. Jenny, Wales’s most capped player within the current Wales squad with 61 caps and part of this year’s Six Nations squad, has been head coach of the Welsh Colleges team since 2005 and believes the current group of players has benefited greatly from the recent partnership.
Speaking at a squad training session at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, Jenny said: “This season has seen a huge increase in the number of young women coming forward for selection, allowing us to build on previous success at the BCS Championships. There are a number of players within the current Welsh Women’s squad who have played for Welsh Colleges or work in colleges, providing outstanding role models for the current team. These include Rebecca DeFilippo, Catrina Nicholas, Fion Evans, Mored Evans, Delyth Davies, Eliie Norkett, Kerin Lake and Fion Jones to name a few.”
WRU Regional Development Manager, Ben Rose, said: “Women’s rugby is an area of real growth across the world especially with the introduction of rugby sevens to the Olympic programme. This year is also Women’s Rugby World Cup year and there are a number of young women in colleges, who have a real opportunity to play in the tournament in France.
“The Colleges team is an excellent springboard for young women to have a taste of representative rugby. The WRU works alongside Welsh Colleges Sport to provide opportunities for girls to represent the country.
“The partnership also provides an opportunity for young women to participate in inter colleges events. The Colleges’ programme provides opportunities for sevens, tens and 15-a-side rugby.”
ColegauCymru Sports Coordinator, Rob Baynham, said: “The complementary partnership of proactive WRU support and further education colleges’ expert coaches is making a big impact in developing rugby for female students in FE.
“With top level coaching, provision of specialist training facilities and new initiatives including mixed touch rugby, there’s been a dramatic rise in the take-up of the sport this season. The partnership is demonstrating that young women are keen to engage with sport when given the right environment.
“We’re looking here at a potential pool of future Welsh international players as well as PE teachers and rugby coaches. It’s strong step forward in developing Wales as a sporting nation of young women.”
“I wish the squad the best of luck as it prepares to defend its title at the British Colleges Championship.”
