The next wave of England Rugby’s Inner Warrior campaign to encourage women to take up the sport was launched this week - and Beccles Rugby Club is getting involved.

They are staging a Warrior Camp next Thursday (7-8.30pm) at Beccles Youth Hub, Common Lane, Beccles NR34 9RH. This event is aimed at U13 & U15 girls.

The 2018 campaign theme is ‘New Year, New You’, encouraging girls and women to kick start their fitness routine for the new year and challenge themselves to take up a new sport.

Ambassador for the campaign, England international Katy Daley-Mclean, commented, “It can be hard to stay motivated to get fit during winter. Team sports, such as rugby, provide support and encouragement, making fitness fun and social. The Warrior Camps give women the opportunity to try rugby, often for the first time, and it’s fantastic to see so many feeling inspired to take up rugby.”

Since its initial launch, over 10,500 women have attended Warrior Camps nationwide; and of those women, 3,500 had never picked up a rugby ball before. The number of camps available to women has continued to grow to meet demand and the influx of players saw 41 new female contact rugby club teams established in 2017.

Steve Grainger, RFU Rugby Development Director, said: “Female participation in rugby has seen unparalleled levels of growth in recent years, with a massive 215% increase since 2013. It’s now one of the fastest growing team sports for women in England.”

The Inner Warrior campaign aims to encourage more women and girls to play contact rugby, teaching participant’s key introductory skills and drills for rugby within a non-committal, social and fun environment.

For more information on next week’s event at Beccles contact becclesrugbygirls@gmail.com or 07713 055479