Spotlight: 120+ players in first Midlands Inner Warrior Series

Late October saw the launch of the very first Midlands Inner Warrior Series programme for women’s university teams competing outside of BUCS, providing a fantastic opportunity for players who are new to rugby and have recently been introduced to the game through university-based Path to Pitch and Road to Rugby programmes.

A total of 10 SRFU member universities and clubs from five counties took part across two venues, bringing together a mixture of RFU partner and non-partner universities. More than 80 players took part at the University of Birmingham and a further 40 at the University of Nottingham.

Led by two fantastic university volunteers, the events began with a carousel of Skill Zone and Game Zone activities, helping players develop core skills and confidence in a fun and supportive environment. The afternoon then moved into a series of short matches, with teams mixed throughout to create full 15-a-side contact games and encourage new connections across universities.

The coaches also ran a dedicated Contact Confidence session, allowing brand-new players to gradually build their skills and confidence before joining in with the final game of the day.

Universities and clubs involved in the first events included the University of Birmingham, University of Birmingham Medical School RFC, Birmingham City University, Aston University, the University of Warwick, the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, Loughborough University, the University of Northampton and the University of Worcester.

The smiles on faces throughout the afternoon said it all. It was brilliant to see players and coaches alike enjoying themselves, developing their rugby skills and embracing the spirit of the game.

“These events are all about giving new players the chance to build their confidence, enjoy playing rugby and progress into the game in a supportive environment. A huge thank you to all the volunteers, coaches and universities who have helped make the first events such a success.” Jonny Stephenson, RFU

We’re now looking forward to the next two festivals at Loughborough University and the University of Warwick on 11 November.

Could Inner Warrior work at your university? If you’d like to find out more about getting involved or creating opportunities for new and developing players, get in touch with claireantcliffe@rfu.com.

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