Girls’ Rugby Takes Off at Lymm As New Teams Launch

Girls’ rugby at Lymm Rugby Club is now in full swing – and we were delighted to welcome 10-year-old Phoebe to the breakfast show to tell us more, alongside Josh Hadland, the club’s girls’ coach.

Even though Phoebe is only 10, she already has a big love for the sport – playing in both league and union teams. She actually started at the age of four, and hasn’t looked back since.

Josh explained that Lymm has always had mini and junior teams where girls could join in, but once players reached the age of 11, there were no dedicated options available for them to continue. That gap is exactly what the new girls’ teams are designed to fix.

Now, with dedicated girls’ teams in the U12s and U14s, it’s an important development for the club – and the future is looking exciting. Girls’ rugby is truly one of the fastest-growing areas of the sport, with age-grade registrations up sharply across England in recent years.

Why this matters for young players

Nationally, more clubs are reporting growth in girls’ participation, and many are seeing women’s and girls’ rugby become a central part of their long-term plans. At Lymm, the new U12 and U14 girls’ teams mean there’s now a clear pathway for local girls to start young, stay involved, and keep playing as they get older.

Phoebe’s story – starting at four and already playing in multiple formats by ten – shows just how early that love for the game can begin, and how important it is to have the right teams in place to support it.

Call-out to parents: come and try a session

This is a call-out to parents of young girls to get involved. Come down and experience the new coaching sessions on a Wednesday – it’s a great chance to see what girls’ rugby at Lymm is all about, and to meet the coaches and players.

Parents can get involved too, whether that’s helping out, supporting from the sidelines, or even getting active themselves as the women’s and girls’ game continues to grow.

• More at Lymm Rugby Club