The idea of three rugby clubs coming together to work cohesively is unheard off, but this is exactly what is taking place in Salford right now as Cadishead Rhinos, Langworthy Reds and Folly Lane rugby club are doing.
The sole purpose of the clubs joining together is for the girls in the area to have an opportunity to play rugby league for an all girls team, rather than be mixed.
One of the biggest issues facing girls’ grassroots rugby in the area was that each club didn’t have enough girls to put them in their own league, but by joining together they now do.
Come down to play the greatest game! pic.twitter.com/5MtJ0pQxWa
— Salford Swinton Girls rugby (@SSGirlsRL) December 2, 2021
The turnout of the sessions has been so great they now are anticipation having two under 7s and an under 8s girls’ team ready to join a league next season.
“We’ve started this team so the girls who are playing for Salford teams stay in Salford.”
This is big for the current head coach of the team Faye who has seen too often talented rugby players leave teams in Salford to move to other clubs who offer a better service for girls rubgy league and the opportunity to play womens rugby league.
“We train them from cubs which is 3 years old then they get to age 11 and they leave to join other clubs who have a girls team, which is sad because they’ve had all the investment from Salford clubs and then we’re giving them away.”
This is another issue which the girls in the Salford and Swinton area are facing because once they reach the under 13s age group there is no more mixed rugby league and the lack of girls teams in the area mean they are left to join other clubs or stop playing rugby, which is the last thing the sport needs as it’s trying to grow in other communities.
The support from all three teams has been crucial to the success of these sessions which have now been running since the end of October.
They currently are being held at Cadishead Rhinos facilities but are ran by a Langworthy Reds member something that would never usually happen.
The sessions have even drawn the attention of the local women’s teams such as Swinton Lioness and the recently formed Salford Red Devils women’s team who have had players come down and take part of even run some of the sessions.
For Martin Silcock, who has been part of the Langworthy set up all of his life, this is massive for the girls to have players from those clubs come down.
He said: “I’m a lifelong Red Devils fan and so is my daughter but since the Lionesses have started attending the sessions, she’s told me she wants to support Swinton!
“It’s just good for the girls to have some clear representation and they get so involved in the sessions off their own back, it’s great to see.”
Martin has been key in organizing a lot of the behind the scenes work in getting the sessions going due to his background being part of the Langworthy.
He knows too well about the process of bringing girls through their system and then losing them at older age groups, something which he hopes doesn’t happen again thanks for the efforts off all three clubs.
The sessions are currently being held every other Tuesday at Cadishead Recreation Club on Lord’s street, which is where Cadishead Rhinos play.
You can find more information about the sessions on Twitter @SSGirlsRL or on Facebook under Salford Swinton Girls Rugby.
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