A history of Womens Rugby exhibition

WOMEN’S RUGBY

Women’s rugby gained popularity in the 1970s and has snowballed ever since into a highly organised self governed sport. The first women’s rugby international match was played in Hilversum, Holland in 1982 where the home side were defeated 4 – 0 by France .

In Britain, the Women’s Rugby Football Union was formed in 1986. This governing body had its roots in England but it played its matches as Great Britain and drew its players from the four home countries. The GB side was soon disbanded in favour of the individual countries and within twelve months Wales were playing England at Pontypool Park. Women’s rugby now has its own Six Nations Tournament and is well reported and supported by the media and Rugby Unions. The next women’s world cup takes place later this year in Canada where the reigning champions New Zealand are favourites to defend their title.

trevor

Col Philip Trevor in his book “Rugby Football” dated 1923 opens with the chapter “The Game’s Popularity – Rugger For Girls”. His daughters who were in various stages of ‘flapperdom’ (a 1920s term for the modern & unconventional woman) in 1913 called him to a conference. The end result being that they and a bunch of friends trooped of to a secluded beach for a game of rugger, 15 a-side with more players available if the need arose. Col Trevor who acted as referee marveled at the skills of the girls and described how they improvised with kit, by wearing bathing hats to lessen the chance of being ‘tackled’ by the hair. Back chat and foul language was all part and parcel of rugby according to one girl who had watched the men play at Blackheath. The author queried that if they could find 30 girls in a village then how many would there be in the whole of England ? (WRM-0061)

jersey

Women's Rugby Football Union, the first governing body of the sport in Britain, the Union was disbanded in 1994 so that the Home Unions could play as individual countries. This jersey was worn by Delyth Morgan the Welsh international. (WRM-0323)

Programmes from women's international rugby matches
	England v France (WRM-0324)	23 Feb 1997	Northampton
	England v Wales (WRM-0325)	12 Feb 1989	Moseley
	Italy v Holland (WRM-0326)	1993
	Wales v England (WRM-0327)	11 Feb 1990	Neath
	Wales v England (WRM-0328)	9 Feb 1992
	Wales v England (WRM-0329)	9 Mar 1997	Llanelli
	Wales v Ireland (WRM-0330)	21 Feb 1999	Llanelli
	European Champs in Italy (WRM-0331)	1999

22^nd February 2006 - STOP PRESS……………………

...................Mel Makes 50 Against Ireland

In Saturday’s Six Nations fixture against

Ireland

(Donnybrook, 2.30pm kick off),

Wales

Captain Mel Berry will receive her 50th cap, joining an elite band of female players. Since picking up her first cap in 1998, coincidentally against the Irish in

Ireland

, Swansea-born Berry has been a regular feature in the starting line-up, first skippering

Wales

at the tender age of 20.

THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

The first Women’s Rugby World Cup Final was held at Cardiff Arms Park in 1991. The USA were victorious over England, 19 – 6.