Northerns looking for female rugby players

The Benoni Northerns Rugby Club (BNRC) is inviting young girls with a passion for rugby to join their growing family.

With a strong commitment to nurturing talent and fostering teamwork, the club offers a welcoming environment where girls can develop their skills, build confidence and experience the thrill of the game.

Coach Shadai Grobler said they are looking for beginners eager to learn as well as players with some experience who are ready to take their game to the next level.

“We want to bring the girls together. They need to come and live out their passion. We urge parents to bring their daughters to come and see what we do, be part of it and help our team grow,” said Grobler.

Due to a lack of female teams in the community, girls often play with boys and may not fully express themselves.

Grobler’s team will provide a space where they can enjoy the game and fulfil their potential.

“They don’t play to their full potential in male teams. They hide away, get scared and often don’t participate fully.

Playing alongside girls who share the same passion and love for the game will increase their confidence to progress and develop.”

Once the team is assembled and ready to compete, Grobler said they will participate in a women’s league, either with the Bulls Daisies in Pretoria or the Lions in Johannesburg.

Chairperson Alexcia Botes said the long-term plan is to have multiple age-group teams, as well as a senior team.

“Women’s rugby is growing, but there aren’t many clubs where these girls can learn to play properly and develop their skills. We want to build the ladies up so that we have as many female teams as we have boys’ teams,” said Botes.

Team manager Chevonne Viljoen shared Botes’ views.

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“There is so much potential to grow. Many girls are interested in rugby but end up playing with the boys. We saw a gap and decided to put the same passion into the ladies’ team as we do with the boys,” she said.

Jaco Havenga, who led the club’s last women’s team before Covid-19, said reviving the ladies’ squad has always been a top priority in the club’s plans.

“We had a great ladies’ team. Our chairperson’s daughter played for that team. She went on to play for the Bulls Daisies and the Springbok Women. We want to get the team up and running again and develop them until we have a senior team.”

Havenga added that the club is also looking for passionate women to serve as coaches, team managers and club officials.

Those interested can contact Botes on 076 772 5021 for more information.

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