Strong start to 2024 for girls’ rugby at Ivybridge

Ivybridge Rugby Football Club (IRFC) Under 16s Girls are through to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) National Cup regional semi-final after beating teams from across the South West. 

Following a thrilling win against local rivals Kingsbridge before Christmas, Ivybridge will now take on North Bristol away in the penultimate stage of the South West regional tournament. They are the only Devon side remaining in the competition. 

Last year, the IRFC Under 16 Girls 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 team’s success is part of the ongoing 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 & Juniors Section and Girls’ Lead at IRFC. “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 over 100,000 by 2027. Ivybridge is playing a leading role in inspiring more girls into the game, helped by the ongoing 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 and the adult players at Ivybridge 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. The success and increased visibility of the women’s team has really helped this,” added Nikki Moss. “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 13 February from 7pm to 8:30pm on the main pitch at Ivybridge Rugby Club, Cross-In-Hand, Ivybridge, PL21 0LR. 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 IRFC Under 16 Girls team is being supported in their cup campaign with sponsorship from Nick Pope Plastering Services and Plympton Car Centre, funding a brand-new reversable playing strip. Other sponsorship opportunities are available across the girls’ section for community-minded local businesses. 

Anyone interested in joining Ivybridge RFC Girls or sponsoring a team should contact nikkimoss245@gmail.com.