It’s the rise of the Valkyries: Why women are flocking to give rugby a try with a team that’s made diversity its goal
Treble winners on the secret to their soaring membership
They are tech professionals, city planners, gas technicians and mums juggling families, but this army of women is also Dundee Rugby Club’s Valkyries; one of the greatest success stories in Scottish rugby in the past year.
Teetering on the edge of the prestigious Premier League, the team – who up until a couple of years ago had only 12 players – now has almost 100 women engaging in the sport.
The rise of women’s and girls’ rugby in Scotland has been remarkable in recent times, reflecting a global trend towards greater inclusivity and recognition of women’s sports. This growth is being supported by initiatives to promote rugby in schools, local communities and universities across the country.
And it seems there’s no stopping Dundee’s Valkyries as they’ve won the Caledonian Midlands/East league for the third time in a row – and secured new sponsorship from the city’s The Sunflower Rooms.
Team manager and webmaster Steph Craig, 31, said: “Dundee Valkyries (the women’s and girls’ section of Dundee Rugby Club) are committed to becoming one of the leading women’s rugby clubs in Scotland. As we celebrate our fifth anniversary with nearly 100 playing members, we are determined to continue our growth and development.
“The club’s vision is to offer accessible rugby to all, regardless of financial constraints. We aim to provide top-quality coaching, cover essential expenses such as travel and physiotherapy and invest in facilities to facilitate the growth of rugby in Scotland.
“It’s important for us to reach out to deprived areas in Dundee and Scotland too, where access to such opportunities may be limited.
“Dundee Valkyries are not only dedicated to becoming a leading force in women’s rugby but also to addressing the challenges faced by deprived areas in Dundee and Scotland; we, as a club, are reaching out to our local communities.
“But most of all, it’s about fitness, friendship and fun. And we hope more women will come along to try it.”
Trainee gas technician and team captain Erin Davie, 28, originally from Johnshaven, Aberdeenshire, has been playing rugby since school.
The full-back explained: “I think rugby is growing because it’s inclusive and before it didn’t feel like it was an option for women but now there’s traction and momentum. Women can see women’s sports are growing exponentially and when you see that example, you think to yourself ‘why not?’.
“I really enjoy rugby and, in my position, I can see everything that’s going on. There’s a bit more pressure in defence but it’s fun to run onto the ball, play quickly – and I get to shout at people and boss them about!
“Joining a rugby club gives you an instant friendship group, like a wee family. It gets you running about in the fresh air and gives you a baseline fitness, which is brilliant. On those nights when you don’t want to go out, when it’s raining and cold, you know you will always feel better once you’ve gone to training, and you do.
“What I would say to other women who would like to try it is, what’s the worst thing that could happen? It’s fun, you get
fit, and there’s a position for all shapes and sizes. You can join training and decide not to play matches too. So come along.”
The team’s No. 4 – planning officer Gemma Watson, 26, couldn’t agree more as she’s been playing for 12 years.
She said: “I was lucky I had a high school rugby team as I grew up in the Borders and then went to Glasgow University, so I’ve just kept on playing.
“It’s great for my fitness but also my mental health; when work is stressful, playing helps alleviate that. I would definitely say to other women, don’t be scared to come along, there are lots of people willing to help. It’s fun and you will make lots of friends along the way.”
Scottish Rugby is now targeting the opportunities women’s rugby presents, having previously identified it as one of three strategic priorities in its 2021-24 Corporate Strategy, entitled Wellbeing, Women And Winning, launched last year. And last year Scottish Rugby invested £1.6 million directly into the women’s and girls’ game.
In endorsing the strategy, the Scottish Rugby Board has agreed to an additional investment of up to £2.5m covering the first year of the strategy which will be invested in all areas of the pathway, taking the total women and girls’ funding up to £4.1m, more than double the previous year’s allocation.
The Head of Women and Girls’ Strategy, Gemma Fay, said: “This is an extremely exciting time to be involved in women and girl’s rugby and I feel privileged to have been able to work with a fantastic group of people, both within Scottish Rugby and within rugby in Scotland, who are equally excited by the opportunities we see in front of us.
“This strategy will enable us to channel the passion, enthusiasm and interest there is for the game within Scotland and ultimately grow the sport. We will focus on connecting all aspects of what it takes to develop a sustainable, thriving game to ensure that we support our clubs to build capacity, and establish a clear pathway for our players.”
The rise of women’s rugby in Scotland is also a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent of female players, coaches, administrators and supporters.
The coaching staff at Dundee Rugby Club is a huge part of the team’s success but they put camaraderie at the heart of the Valkyries winning form.
Women’s head coach Gary Mathieson said: “It’s all down to the girls; the cohort leadership group is so welcoming to everyone who comes in. I’m just coach. They run the whole thing and they are getting better and stronger all the time. They are in the play-offs for the Premier League, which is an amazing achievement.”
Assistant manager Robin Lunn added: “The women’s progress is nothing short of fantastic. It takes a lot of effort to move things along so smoothly; they put in the work; plus their social media campaigns have been great. There is outreach to the schools and unis and great support from Scottish Rugby too.”
The Club’s Director of Rugby, Colin Sangster, also put the club’s growth down to the women’s efforts during Covid, and beyond. He said: “Pre-Covid, we had about 12 players training, then we were locked down, but the girls continued to work tirelessly to promote women’s rugby.
“Once we were all allowed to go out again, new people came along to try something new and get fit and the numbers just kept growing and now we have two teams.”
He added: “The women are so welcoming and inclusive and are certainly a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.”