News
Page for news items about the girls team and girls rugby activities at the club.

Press Release
Girls Rugby comes to Cheshire
Next season Northwich will bring girls rugby to Cheshire for the first time. The club have announced plans to create the first U16 girls team in the county and will start competitive matches in September 2004.
Girls from Northwich’s existing junior section will join recruits from Cheshire secondary schools to form a new squad which will start training in February. To help build a successful side Northwich have put an experienced coaching team together and will plan to play other clubs in the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
Although not as popular as mens’ rugby, girls and women’s rugby is played across the UK with over 10,000 players in England alone. There are now 70 U16 girl’s teams in England, and this number is growing all the time.
“While we have been out coaching in schools throughout Cheshire, we have seen such a tremendous level of interest in girls rugby” says Phil Clarke, Northwich RUFC Chief coach and Sport Cheshire RDO. “Up until now though, as there is no girls school rugby and no clubs in the area with girls teams, there was nowhere locally for the girls to follow their interest. Girls have often had to travel long distances to train and play.”
“At Northwich we want to bring girls rugby here for the long term and develop a full range of teams to harness the interest and already high standard of achievement of girl players across Cheshire and surrounding areas”, says Northwich Junior Chairman Simon Bridle.
Northwich will be working closely with Vale Royal District Council and Sport Cheshire to ensure that the Moss Farm sports complex has adequate facilities for this influx of players. “We are delighted to support Northwich with this new venture”, says Chris Bottomley head of VRDC Leisure Services. “Girls football has grown enormously over the past 2 years and we’d love girls rugby to expand as well.”
Northwich’s first activity to promote the new squad will be a girls Tag tournament on February 12^th in conjunction with Sport Cheshire. This will be followed by a ‘Tag to Contact’ Development day on March 6^th and an official launch in April with an exhibition match and VIP reception.

If you’d like to come along and try rugby or just want more information try the Northwich special girls web site (http://www.northwichgirlsrugby.couk) or call Phil Clarke at 01606 781441.
                                                              February 2004

Girls Year 7-10 Tournament coming soon!
Northwich Rugby Club and Sport Cheshire will be hosting a Girls Tag rugby tournament at Moss Farm on February 12th. Eighteen schools across Cheshire have already agreed to take part. There’s still room for more teams if your school is interested. As it is a Tag tournament there is no contact or srummages just a great afternoon playing against other schools in the area. Spectators, parents and supporters are all welcome. Contact Phil Clarke for more details on 01606 781441 or email: pclarke@northwichrufc.co.uk.

Vale Royal Rugby excels at Games!
Vale Royal rugby players had a great day at the Cheshire Youth Games on Saturday June 28th at Macclesfield Rugby Club. Closely fought all day Vale Royal came home as winners of the Mixed Year 5/6 Tag tournament with third place in both the girls Years 7-10 and Boys Year 8 competitions.
Macclesfield Rugby Club proved a great setting for the event with the teams participating from seven Cheshire boroughs including Chester, Crewe & Nantwich, Congleton, Ellesmere Port & Neston, Macclesfield & Warrington. End to end rugby throughout the day kept up the excitement for the players, coaches and supporting parents alike. Even VIP’s, including local MP’s Ann and Nicholas Winterton joined in to support the players in the afternoon sessions.
With all the games closely contested and with a number of draws the league positions for all competitions weren’t certain until the final games were completed. In the year 5/6 Tag event Vale Royal beat Chester by superior try difference, while the girls missed out on being runners-up only by a single try.
Thanks go to everyone for a wonderful day including of course all the players for their commitment to prepare and to work hard on the day, to the coaches and to those who helped organise the event itself.
This year Northwich Rugby Club not only provided coaching help with all age groups but players from Northwich were well represented at all levels. Well done everyone.
                                                                              July 2003

Action vs Ashton on Mersey Ladies team

Northwich Girls get International coaching
Five of Northwich's RUFC youngsters received top grade coaching recently from the USA Under 23's Ladies team at a coaching clinic run by the UK's Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW). Girls rugby in the North West received a boost recently with the appointment of a dedicated development officer for Greater Manchester and with the USA Under 23's Ladies team currently touring England, it was a great chance for the youngsters to meet the players and sharpen their skills. All the girls play regulary for the Northwich RUFC club in mixed junior sides and usually are coached alongside boys in their age groups. However at the clinic they joined 60 other girls from the Cheshire, Merseyside & Greater Manchester areas for expert tuition from the USA team, coaches from the RFUW and players from the Sale Sharks Premiership Rugby club. Everyone enjoyed the experience, Sale's hospitality and an exciting match between Sale Sharks and fellow premiership side Newcastle Falcons later that evening.
                                                                   October 2002