Marlborough Rugby have placed great emphasis and given much effort in recent years towards developing rugby as a game for the young in the area and those of all genders.
Going forward it is about being able to keep pace with the demand, driven by take-up amongst those younger players, enabling them to develop their rugby skills and experiences in Marlborough. And this requires resource.
A while back Marlborough Rugby started working with St John’s, particularly with the girls in the school to introduce rugby to them. Women’s rugby in this country has grown enormously in the past few years, regarded as one of – if not the fastest growing sport in the world and the England team (The Red Roses) are now recognised as being at the front of the emergence of Women’s rugby. The Red Roses’ coach, Simon Middleton has just been named coach of the year, and five of the Red Roses have been named in the world rugby team of the year. Maybe, just maybe, one day, one of our local players will become a recognised international star?
Some way to go yet but Ruby, currently year 11 was introduced to the game by Marlborough Rugby at St John’s. “The rugby bug really did bite” said Ruby when asked about how she became involved in the game and what inspired her.
“I’ve been playing rugby for about 4 years now and I love it!” she added, thanking the Club for opening her eyes to rugby. The only problem is that Ruby’s appetite for the game, her dedication to develop and succeed quickly outgrew what Marlborough Rugby could provide due to the limited resources at their disposal. The long established aspiration of the Club to start women’s rugby was hampered by a lack of changing facilities and a shortage of training space.
Ruby now plays and trains at Chippenham Rugby Club where she can compete in age group games, developing her skills and knowledge of the game and so far she has even been selected to join the ‘Southern’ group for Rugby Sevens in the country that will help her game take great strides forward.
But Ruby is from Marlborough, studying at St John’s and she helps the Club in terms of training and giving back to the younger community what the Club gave to her – the Club’s new changing facilities finally enabling them to offer rugby for all with a newly established girls section starting to take root. “I think it’s so important we as a community encourage young girls with budding passions for rugby and provide them these vital resources to take their game to the next level.” Ruby told Marlborough.news.
One major decision regarding the opportunity for others like Ruby to develop their game here in Marlborough will be made at Monday’s meeting of the Full Town Council when the discussion regarding the the creation of a training pitch will take place. This area, although to be used for a few hours each week will help Marlborough Rugby, as it will Marlborough’s other ’round ball’ youth organisation – Marlborough Youth Football Club – as they will have use of this as well.
‘A key and much needed facility for the young in the community’ is how it was described by one member of the Town Council, and it may create the pathway for more Rubys of this world, making it easier for them to develop their skills and experience here, on The Common rather than elsewhere, so that Marlborough can become even more of a centre for sports and sports development for the younger members of the community than it even is now.
St John’s students learn about the circular economy
