A JOINT Statement from Reading RFC and Rams RFC Regarding the Development of Women’s Rugby South of the Thames.

Women’s Rugby is growing rapidly in the UK and offers to women the same opportunities that it offers to men, namely the opportunity:

1. To participate in one of the world’s leading team sports.

2. To build social skills by being part of a team.

3. To build and maintain physical fitness.

4. To develop life skills and learn how to win and lose.

5. For ambitious athletes to find, and push, their personal limits.

6. To make friends for life.

Reading RFC and Rams RFC are in close proximity to each other in the Sonning area.

Reading RFC has a strong tradition of providing opportunities for female rugby players, having started its women’s section in 1990.

Rams RFC is a relative newcomer to female rugby having launched its women’s section
in 2015*.
.
Reading RFC women’s team, “The Kites”, currently play in NC1, tier four of the English league system.

Rams women’s team, “The Sirens”, play in NC2, tier five of the league system.

While Reading RFC has a larger women’s membership than Rams, it is not yet sufficient to field two teams. Meanwhile, Rams RFC has been struggling to field one side.

Both clubs have girls’ sections, although Reading’s is much bigger and stronger.

At present neither Reading RFC nor Rams RFC are able to offer the same opportunities for talented female players as exist north of the Thames at Abbey Nuns and Henley, both of which play Championship One, tier two of the women’s English league system.

Reading RFC and Rams RFC want to promote women’s Rugby South of the Thames by:

1. Increasing the number of female participants in Rugby Union.

2. Providing ambitious female participants with the opportunity to play the sport to a high
level.

Discussions have taken place between senior executives of Reading RFC and Rams RFC and
subsequently between the senior coaches and managers of both women’s sections.

It was clear from the outset there is a close alignment of aspirations and values within both clubs and a genuine will to drive women’s rugby forward.

Accordingly, subject to approval from the main committees of Reading RFC and Rams RFC and with the advice and agreement of both England and Berkshire RFU, the following outline plan has been agreed:

1. The women’s sections of both clubs will be combined and run from Holme Park, with
Reading RFC as the lead club.

2. Reading RFC’s first team, “The Kites”, will be the elite side and will be tasked with rapidly
getting promoted to Championship One (tier two).

3. Rams RFC’s women’s team, “The Sirens” will become the second team allowing starters
to develop and gain experience in rugby and also offering an appropriate level for those
that simply want to participate without joining an elite side.

4. Rams RFC, which currently runs an academy for male players at Reading University, will
continue to coach and run the Reading University women’s team.

5. The new combined women’s section will train at Holme Park on Wednesday evenings.

6. The default home ground for The Kites and The Sirens will be Holme Park but OBR (Old
Bath Road – Rams home ground) will be made available where necessary.

7. Alun Thomas, the current senior coach of Reading RFC’s women’s section, will become
the DOR for the new combined women’s section, whilst continuing to coach the squad.

8. Ellie Sawers, Reading Kite and Level 2 coach, will be part of the combined coaching team.

9. Richard Pryor, ex Reading player and Level 4 coach, will provide mentoring and skills
enhancement to the coaching and management group.

10. Katie Phillips, Amy Parsons and Jamie Lovering, all currently coaches of The Sirens, will
join the new coaching team.

11. Richard Inns, currently joint manager of The Sirens, will join the combined managerial
team.

12. Rams RFC will provide specialist coaches for specific skill sessions, such as defence line
out, scrummaging etc, when required.

13. Rams RFC will provide funding and sponsorship plus new kit for the combined women’s
section.

Stuart Spindler, Chair of Reading RFC.

Andy Lynch, Chair of Rams RFC

*Kicking-off a women’s section was a development target agreed with the RFU and Sport England, as part of the financial support for the extension and refurbishment of Rams’ clubhouse in 2014.

** SOPHIA Parr and Sarah Sumner touched down for a depleted Sirens side as they lost 64-13 at Farnham Ladies on Sunday.

Despite having only 12 players available for the start - including three debutants and two having to play in the backs rather than their preferred slot in the pack - the visitors put in a magnificent effort.

They got on the scoreboard early on when Rosie Inns kicked a penalty, while Sumner’s solo try from the halfway line was the stand-out moment of the game.

She chipped over the defence and then ran onto the bouncing ball to beat the covering full back and out-sprint the chasing defence to the try-line.

However, the away side lost skipper Steph Wright to injury, and while the game was reduced to 11-a-side, Farnham were able to ring the changes and run in a string of scores late on.

Despite the defeat, coach Jamie Lovering believes there is plenty to work on ahead of the game against Windsor on November 21, which if ratified, will be the first in conjunction with Reading RFC