IVYBRIDGE’S under-16 girls’ team will battle it out for a place in the regional final of the RFU National Cup this Sunday.
Following a thrilling win against Devon rivals Kingsbridge before Christmas, Ivybridge will now take on North Bristol away in the semi-final stage of the South West section of the tournament. They are the only Devon side remaining in the competition.
Last year, the team were finalists in the Devon Cup, narrowly missing out to Crediton, and they are hoping to end this season with silverware to add to the club’s trophy cabinet.
The side’s success is part of the on-going development of female rugby at Ivybridge, which has seen the girls’ game grow from a handful of junior players in 2019 to around 70 across four age groups.
Ivybridge now has one of the strongest grassroots girls’ sections in Devon and is actively recruiting more players.
“This is a great time for girls to get into rugby at Ivybridge in the run up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025,” said Nikki Moss, vice-chair of the mini and junior section and girls’ lead at the Cross-in-Hand club.
“It is an extremely rewarding sport for girls of all ages and abilities. Above all, our players enjoy making friends and being part of a team. I would encourage any girls looking for a fun activity to come along and give it a go.”
England Rugby has an ambitious programme to grow female rugby participation to more than 100,000 by 2027.
Ivybridge is playing a leading role in inspiring more girls into the game, helped by the on-going achievements of its women’s team, who finished second in the Championship South West 2 league for two consecutive years.
They currently sit in the top three of the league midway through the season.
Ivybridge is also a feeder club for Exeter Chiefs’ women’s team and the adult players at the South Hams club work closely with the under-18 and under-16 girls to build a pipeline of talent for the future.
“Female rugby has come a long way at Ivybridge in a brief time,” added Moss.
“The success and increased visibility of the women’s team has really helped this. But we know there’s further to go, particularly in raising awareness among teenage girls and getting the message across that they belong in rugby, a sport where they can thrive and be themselves.”
Ivybridge is offering a ‘turn up and train’ taster session for girls aged between 11 and 18 on Tuesday, February 13 from 7pm to 8:30pm on the main pitch at Cross-In-Hand. It’s free and no previous experience is needed. Studded boots are required but these can be provided.
Any players wishing to sign up following the taster session will also benefit from discounted membership.
This season, the under-16 girls’ team are being supported in their cup campaign with sponsorship from Nick Pope Plastering Services and Plympton Car Centre, funding a new reversable playing strip.
Whoever wins Sunday’s game at North Bristol will play either Gosford All Blacks or Ellingham in the South West final.