Macclesfield Express

Spirits are high as girls pitch up and play rugby

- PHIL MASON

SUNDAY the inaugural Girls Rugby Pitch up and Play event held at Macclesfie­ld RUFC followed by the first senior Women’s fixture against Moore RUFC.

With seven clubs involved (Macclesfie­ld, Littleboro­ugh, Wirrall, Longton, Stockport, Caldy and Preston Grasshoppe­rs) over 160 girls attended, from U13s, U15s and U18s with high spirits and eager to play, the excitement was palpable.

For many this was their first or second match, others had played before however Covid interrupte­d their progressio­n.

The first games kicked off at 1pm, and sounds of girls playing rugby filled Priory Park.

The U18s age group played four matches (20 minutes each) so all clubs played each other (Macclesfie­ld doesn’t have an U18 Girls team - YET).

The games were physisaw cal with some excellent rugby from all the teams. All the girls came off after every game with the smiles, and eager to go again. So much so they were happy to play with other teams who were low on numbers.

The U13s and U15s had some great experience and well needed game time! Mixed teams that all wanted to play for each other and confidence growing as each minute passed by. Physicalit­y was high throughout all games played. The girl’s from each team having big smiles on for the afternoon and the skills shown are incredibly promising for the future of girl’s and women’s game! This wasn’t just from Macc but across those on the day.

Whilst the U18s finished at 3pm (due to the Women’s game), the U13s and U15s were still going strong at 4pm!

Smiles all round and all looking forwards to the next event. A hugely successful afternoon for Macclesfie­ld Rugby club, the future looks very bright indeed!

Anyone interested in joining the Macclesfie­ld Girls Rugby Team should contact the coaching team on (Maccrugbyg­irls@ gmail.com).

Following a fantastic event with the Girls age Grades the senior women played an Inner warrior fixture against the Women from Moore Rugby Club.

The Women’s game is still at the developmen­t stage locally but the squad is growing in number every week and enjoyment is the order of the day alongside the developmen­t of core skills and positional play.

The social aspect of the game is alive and well in the women’s squad. Macclesfie­ld has the ambition to develop a senior Women’s squad to play league rugby in the next few years and, as the numbers and the skill level grows the aim is to have a league side and a social side for the girls age grades to aspire to. Training takes place twice a week on a Tuesday and a Thursday under the watchful eye of coaches Pip Gregory, Simon Dempsey, Dom McCarthy and Nathan Thomas. Thursday is also

Club night and the bar is open for food and drinks after training. A great opportunit­y to mix with other players training on the night and the walking rugby and touch rugby groups.

 ?? ?? Action from the U18s at the inaugural Girls Rugby Pitch up and Play event held at Macclesfie­ld RUFC at the weekend
Action from the U18s at the inaugural Girls Rugby Pitch up and Play event held at Macclesfie­ld RUFC at the weekend

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