Club history was made this weekend down in Brighton as London Skolars fielded their first ever Women’s side.
It’s been part of the clubs plans for a while now to field a Ladies side and to really work hard to increase the inclusive nature of the club. Women’s Rugby League is a relative new concept in the South and apart from the successful Sussex Merlins side there is limited activity down here.
However, Skolars were impressed by the RFL’s plans around the women’s game, and being an organisation that likes to show innovation and initiative made enquiries into how we could make this dream a reality.
Haringey Rhinos Ladies, who are one of the biggest female rugby teams in the region, and based at New River were extremely receptive to the idea and Skolars felt there was a partnership there that was worth working with. Training begun and although small in number to begin with the ladies enjoyed the sessions and especially getting the chance to work with Head Coach Jenny Morris, one of the most experienced coaches in the region. Jenny having worked originally for the RFL, and now on the Coaching Team with the London Broncos Scholarship, was extremely keen to see the ladies concept work and has been instrumental in the formation and set up of the side.
Training had been building up each week and the ladies finally made their bow at the Brighton 9’s Festival this weekend where they faced opposition from Sussex Merlins and Castleford Panthers, two every experienced teams. The day was about far more than any rugby results however and it was just fantastic to see a ladies team wearing Skolars kit, and watching the club take another step forward in its development.
Community Development Manager Matt Cuss spoke of this fantastic event in the clubs history ‘we are really proud of the Ladies and how they represented us down in Brighton, it’s been an ambition of the club for a good while now to aim to for a female team and to finally see that happen this weekend was a great moment.
Cuss also praised the support of individuals in making this happen ‘thanks must really go to Haringey Rhinos Ladies in particular Aimee and of course Head Coach Jenny, without both of these individuals drive and willingness to support our ambition then we would not have even managed to get this project off the ground.’
It’s undoubtedly a positive start for the London Skolars ladies and the club will be working hard over the winter months to continue to develop this marvellous concept, continue to work with Haringey Ladies and look to take further steps forward next season.
