Verity Robinson
Captain Bletchley Ladies
Bletchley Ladies were founded around 2008 some of the original players are still with the team which originally had 10 players with usually only 6/7 available for games. Thus they were supported by Leighton Buzzard RUFC who lent them players and played trial matches as an introduction and creation of a Ladies Club. Now reversed Leighton Buzzard is in decline and Bletchley is supporting them through rough times with not enough players etc
Verity’s interest in sport began with cricket at School; she went on to play in matches for school team and regional Buckinghamshire County Under 13s team. There is no family association with Rugby at all. Verity went off to Uni and upon her return volunteered to coach Cricket at Great Horwood, there she met another coach who invited her to try rugby. “Is it FREE?”... yes, so she turned up to training in Summer 2010 and joined the Club.
Went to Leeds Uni – 1year at Law School and joined a team there but it was purely for fitness training, didn’t play any matches. On her return rejoined Bletchley Ladies and within a year was Vice Captain. A recruiting campaign garnered an influx of players and in 2012/13 Bletchley joined their first league. Each season has seen them progress from one league into the next higher one. At present the team has gone 17months without defeat.
Bletchley has an overall Women’s Director of Rugby and Captain of the XVs. The Captain’s role is quite time consuming (= part time job) keeping on top of the players, seeing they attend training, availability for matches, sorting any problems and most importantly maintaining morale and an interest in playing. The game is her social life, especially as her partner is Josh Sprules (Bletchley & England International Deaf Rugby player) plays Saturday matches, she plays Sunday so whole weekend gone, both support each other on the touchlines. “The rewards are worth it!” For other women who don’t have rugby partners this is more of an issue, as you can’t drink or go for good night out on a Saturday because of a Sunday match. Bletchley also has a couple of single mum’s so childcare is often an issue but often kids looked after on the touchline by friends & supporters while Mum plays.
Where can women encounter the Ladies Game?
Very rarely do girls play Rugby at School, so either through family associations with local Clubs, but generally most players come via University; many of them now have Ladies Rugby Teams. In MK, Olney & Bletchley have teams MKRUFC tried to establish one but it didn’t last long and they advertised to all existing local players on facebook inviting them to change allegiance!
Women play full XVs rugby – although Rugby Sevens is the game for both male and female at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the only Women’s game that has professional teams. There is a lot of 7’s training and promotion around at present.
Men’s International matches at Twickenham are generally followed about 45mins after by a Women’s International, which is free. There is no mention of it in the Match programme, nor over the PA system inviting people to stay on to support, or in any pre-match publicity. Media largely ignores the game even though England Women are the current (2014) World Champions. Bletchley Ladies got to local Twickenham pub watch the men’s game on TV and then enter free to watch Women’s match.
Currently Bletchley has some young U16s regional players.
Men’s attitude to the Game?
Bletchley Club especially at Exec level is very supportive but it’s a chicken and egg situation the Women having been so successful has brought in the majority of sponsorship for the Club, far more than the men’s game. Bletchley Ladies are currently Runners Up in the Lawson Keys National Team of the Year Award with Lauren Delaney (former basket-ball player) in her first season attained Runner Up, Player of the Year
However there are teams such as Fakenham Ladies (Kent): the Bletchley team arrived with 3 coaches (2 male), Club Officials, supporters and the Fakenham Clubhouse hadn’t even been opened for the host team. They had no support or coaches from the Club or the men’s game and the players had to lay on hospitality (man the bar, bring from home sandwiches etc). A very male, misogynist Rugby Club – ‘there are such Bletchley Club members (mainly older 1st team) who have that opinion of the Women’s game but you just ignore the comments and don’t bite back anymore. It’s getting better, but there’s still a long way to go. Only success and recognition of that success from the top echelons of Rugby will filter down and grow the game’s grass root popularity. Most pundits think it’s grassroots up, but Women’s rugby has been around for a long time and that hasn’t worked.’
Verity received a Buckinghamshire Recognition certificate for services to the game this year that was accompanied by tickets to RWC2015 Fiji v Uruguay match. She’s been a champion for Women’s Rugby and Bletchley RUFC and interviewed three times to date on BBC 3 Counties Radio.
The Women’s Game
Many of the older rites of passage and traditions long forgotten by male rugby players have been adopted and carried on by the Women e.g. “Boat Races” - Coach selects and players select a ‘man of the match’, these two are then expected to down pints in one go in the Club House after.
After-match Club hospitality is of a better quality – they have better selection of food with wine on the tables.
There is a RFU Women’s representative and the male RFU Regional Coach (Bob Hardmann) sorts out problems for the ladies re match fixtures and any technical issues, but if other problems arise then female rep is always available though extremely busy as she’s a one man band.
Talented player progression: if spotted at a school or a local club then she’s invited to play for a premiership team youth side and groomed from there to senior XV and National player.
Women’s playing age tends to be 18-35 with the odd older exception
Bletchley Ladies Info:
Bletchley Ladies RUFC, Bletchley Rugby Club Manor Fields Bletchley Bucks MK2 2HX
Bletchley Ladies: Weds evening is practice sessions and Sundays are match days with game KO around 2pm – 2.15pm, Club House opens around 12.30pm
Next Home match fixture is Sunday Dec 13th KO 2-2.15pm. There may be a Cup fixture in between but dependent upon winning
Verity’s interest in sport began with cricket at School; she went on to play in matches for school team and regional Buckinghamshire County Under 13s team. There is no family association with Rugby at all. Verity went off to Uni and upon her return volunteered to coach Cricket at Great Horwood, there she met another coach who invited her to try rugby. “Is it FREE?”... yes, so she turned up to training in Summer 2010 and joined the Club.
Went to Leeds Uni – 1year at Law School and joined a team there but it was purely for fitness training, didn’t play any matches. On her return rejoined Bletchley Ladies and within a year was Vice Captain. A recruiting campaign garnered an influx of players and in 2012/13 Bletchley joined their first league. Each season has seen them progress from one league into the next higher one. At present the team has gone 17months without defeat.
Bletchley has an overall Women’s Director of Rugby and Captain of the XVs. The Captain’s role is quite time consuming (= part time job) keeping on top of the players, seeing they attend training, availability for matches, sorting any problems and most importantly maintaining morale and an interest in playing. The game is her social life, especially as her partner is Josh Sprules (Bletchley & England International Deaf Rugby player) plays Saturday matches, she plays Sunday so whole weekend gone, both support each other on the touchlines. “The rewards are worth it!” For other women who don’t have rugby partners this is more of an issue, as you can’t drink or go for good night out on a Saturday because of a Sunday match. Bletchley also has a couple of single mum’s so childcare is often an issue but often kids looked after on the touchline by friends & supporters while Mum plays.
Where can women encounter the Ladies Game?
Very rarely do girls play Rugby at School, so either through family associations with local Clubs, but generally most players come via University; many of them now have Ladies Rugby Teams. In MK, Olney & Bletchley have teams MKRUFC tried to establish one but it didn’t last long and they advertised to all existing local players on facebook inviting them to change allegiance!
Women play full XVs rugby – although Rugby Sevens is the game for both male and female at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the only Women’s game that has professional teams. There is a lot of 7’s training and promotion around at present.
Men’s International matches at Twickenham are generally followed about 45mins after by a Women’s International, which is free. There is no mention of it in the Match programme, nor over the PA system inviting people to stay on to support, or in any pre-match publicity. Media largely ignores the game even though England Women are the current (2014) World Champions. Bletchley Ladies got to local Twickenham pub watch the men’s game on TV and then enter free to watch Women’s match.
Currently Bletchley has some young U16s regional players.
Men’s attitude to the Game?
Bletchley Club especially at Exec level is very supportive but it’s a chicken and egg situation the Women having been so successful has brought in the majority of sponsorship for the Club, far more than the men’s game. Bletchley Ladies are currently Runners Up in the Lawson Keys National Team of the Year Award with Lauren Delaney (former basket-ball player) in her first season attained Runner Up, Player of the Year
However there are teams such as Fakenham Ladies (Kent): the Bletchley team arrived with 3 coaches (2 male), Club Officials, supporters and the Fakenham Clubhouse hadn’t even been opened for the host team. They had no support or coaches from the Club or the men’s game and the players had to lay on hospitality (man the bar, bring from home sandwiches etc). A very male, misogynist Rugby Club – ‘there are such Bletchley Club members (mainly older 1st team) who have that opinion of the Women’s game but you just ignore the comments and don’t bite back anymore. It’s getting better, but there’s still a long way to go. Only success and recognition of that success from the top echelons of Rugby will filter down and grow the game’s grass root popularity. Most pundits think it’s grassroots up, but Women’s rugby has been around for a long time and that hasn’t worked.’
Verity received a Buckinghamshire Recognition certificate for services to the game this year that was accompanied by tickets to RWC2015 Fiji v Uruguay match. She’s been a champion for Women’s Rugby and Bletchley RUFC and interviewed three times to date on BBC 3 Counties Radio.
The Women’s Game
Many of the older rites of passage and traditions long forgotten by male rugby players have been adopted and carried on by the Women e.g. “Boat Races” - Coach selects and players select a ‘man of the match’, these two are then expected to down pints in one go in the Club House after.
After-match Club hospitality is of a better quality – they have better selection of food with wine on the tables.
There is a RFU Women’s representative and the male RFU Regional Coach (Bob Hardmann) sorts out problems for the ladies re match fixtures and any technical issues, but if other problems arise then female rep is always available though extremely busy as she’s a one man band.
Talented player progression: if spotted at a school or a local club then she’s invited to play for a premiership team youth side and groomed from there to senior XV and National player.
Women’s playing age tends to be 18-35 with the odd older exception
Bletchley Ladies Info:
Bletchley Ladies RUFC, Bletchley Rugby Club Manor Fields Bletchley Bucks MK2 2HX
Bletchley Ladies: Weds evening is practice sessions and Sundays are match days with game KO around 2pm – 2.15pm, Club House opens around 12.30pm
Next Home match fixture is Sunday Dec 13th KO 2-2.15pm. There may be a Cup fixture in between but dependent upon winning
