Rugby Football Union - Community Rugby Detail

Bath Rugby Launch Ladies Team

by RFUW Press


	photo by Bath RFC

Bath Rugby’s Community Foundation will launch the new Bath Rugby Ladies team for the season 2004/05 today.

Bath Rugby’s Community Development Manager Jimmy Deane, the University of Bath Ladies Team and Bath and North East Somerset Sport and Leisure Development squads have all come together to lay the foundation for a new Bath Rugby Ladies Team to play at the Recreation Ground. The University of Bath Ladies have recently been promoted to the national stages of the BUSA competition and are keen to pit themselves in the senior club system.

Thanks to the excellent work done by the Bath and North East Somerset Sport and Leisure Development department there is now a surplus of talent coming through the ranks. The reformation of the ladies team at Bath will provide an opportunity for these girls to move onto senior rugby as well as giving them the chance to play at a famous rugby ground in the Recreation Ground.

‘I’ve been involved in ladies rugby for a little while now,’ said Jimmy Deane, ‘and with the establishment of the Bath Rugby Community Foundation, and their work with the University and Bath & North East Somerset Council, we’ve now been able to get something up and running. We have a top quality playing area at the Recreation Ground, while the back up facilities provided will be second to none. I will be the Head Coach for the team but I’ll be receiving support from the Bath University coaches as well as first team squad players from Bath Rugby. We’ll be entering the league at the bottom but we’ve already got a healthy looking squad and we hope to be challenging for promotion.’

Lynda Deane, Sport and Leisure Development Officer for Bath & North East Somerset, said, ‘Participation amongst girls in rugby through our development squads has been on the up for a little while now and it makes perfect sense to establish a link with Bath Rugby in the community. We are pleased to be working with the University and the club on this and between the three of us we will be providing the girls with an excellent platform for them to enjoy their rugby.’

‘Our ladies team have been outstanding over the last few seasons, gaining two promotions in two years and earning a place in the BUSA Premiership next season,’ said Kate Eddy, ladies head coach at the University of Bath. ‘We have some very talented young players at the University, some of whom already play club and representational rugby. The opportunity with Bath Rugby will give all the players a chance to play club games at the weekend and to develop their talent further. We hope that the relationship with Bath Rugby combined with the excellent facilities and support services at the university will continue to attract high performance female players to Bath and to integrate the university players with those from the local community.’

For further information please contact Jimmy Deane, Community Development Manager, on 01225 325200 or 07811 101468 or email jimmy.deane@bathrugby.com