Pictured above: Team players.
The Women’s team of Wanderers Rugby club, was formed in late 2014 when we began with a small number of dedicated ladies who wanted to get fit, make new friends and play a sport we all loved.
As one of the oldest clubs in Ireland, we were proud to be part of Wanderers FC and we couldn’t wait to start competing against other Leinster teams who had been playing for a number of years.
As we were late in the 2014-15 season, we trained hard and competed for the Paul Cusack Plate, which we successfully won. This win geared us up for our first full season in autumn 2015.
All of the ladies rallied together to grow our team for the season ahead and by September 2015 we had a diverse team of players from a number of different countries (US, Germany, Spain, Cameroon to name but a few) and with a mix of experience. We trained hard every Tuesday and Thursday evening to ensure we were fit and ready for our Sunday games.
Pictured above: Wanderers players in action.
As we go into our second season as a team, we are hoping to recruit new players and continue to build our team. All our players and coaches are fully dedicated to the development of the team and the individual players. Most recently, one of our players, Linda Djougang was successfully called up to train with the Leinster Women’s team in the upcoming season. This was Linda’s first year of playing rugby, and the time and effort she put in throughout the season helped her to grow as a player and gave her the opportunity to continue her development at provincial level.
If you are interested in playing rugby for the first time, want to move on from tag rugby or have played rugby before, then connect with us on social media or come along to one of our two open days. Along with training and games, we run a number of social events and nights out throughout the year, which helps to solidify our team even more.
Meet some of the team!
Avril, 27, Ireland: “Rugby is a great way to meet new people and play a sport I have loved for so long. As a team we are there for each other to celebrate the wins and console each other when we lose, every one of us feels the same when we walk off the pitch at the end of a game.”
Linda, 20, Cameroon: “Rugby means so much to me, it is all about commitment, passion, friendship and support. It helps to brings people together. I learned so much from playing rugby on how to take in compliment and rejection. Without rugby I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
Anne, 34, France: “Rugby means everything to me! I love the spirit of respect and inclusion; you can play and be good at rugby no matter the age, background or size! I love the team bond, the new friends who even become like a family!”
Wanderers Women’s Rugby Open Days: Tuesday, 9th August and Tuesday, 6th September at 7pm in Wanderers FC, 65a Merrion Rd, Dublin 4. Come along to our open days and meet the team, learn about rugby and have some fun!
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@WanderersWomen) and Facebook at Wanderers Women’s Rugby
By Avril Brennan
