Girls in Wales will no longer be able to play mixed rugby with boys beyond under-11s from the 2023/24 season and female age bandings will change, the Welsh Rugby Union has announced.
The maximum age of mixed rugby is being reduced from U13s at the end of the current season following a review into the female community game, which was launched in spring 2022 and included a consultation process involving more than 1,700 players, coaches, parents and stakeholders, plus input from "experts in varying fields including medical, physiological sport development, and other sectors".
The WRU community rugby department had recommended lowering the maximum age mixed rugby can be played to the end of the U11s season. The recommendation has since been unanimously adopted by the WRU's Community Game Board, and the governing body says the community department will be engaging with clubs across Wales to "ensure the smooth transition of players into their local WRU female hub". There are 37 of them across Wales.
Female age bandings will also be changed to U8s, U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s and U18s, while the season structure is also being amended to be dependant on age. U8s and U10s will play from March-July: mixed rugby will be available to all players in this age group during the traditional season and players can be dual registered with a female hub and a mixed rugby team. U12s and U14s will play September-July with a winter break from December-February. U16s, 18s and adult rugby will follow the traditional season of September-May.
Welsh rugby bosses want to engage 10,000 women and girls in regular rugby activity by 2026. Skill centres are set to be enhanceed around Wales to support the work of female hubs, while the WRU say a key objective of the 104 hub officers based in schools, colleges and universities around Wales is to generate greater female rugby opportunities and to support the female hubs across Wales.
The WRU say the review also looked at "a range of areas to further support the growth of the female game in Wales", including season and competition structure, formats of the game and "measures that could be put in place to help Welsh rugby structures to adapt to improve the female player pathway and support player development".
In spring 2022, the WRU say it recorded an increase of more than 40% in participation following the easing of Covid restrictions.
The WRU said that matters considered during an additional consultation period in April-September 2022 included: "drop-out from girls in mixed rugby after starting secondary school alongside a change in attitude from both boys and girls towards mixed rugby", "player welfare concerns due to various factors including biological differences following the onset of puberty, and attitudes towards females in the game at this level", and the growth of female provision at WRU female hubs in U12 and U14 age groups.
Review recommendations also unanimously approved by the WRU's Community Game Board include:
- Reviewing and amending the current female playing pathway to "ensure it clearly develops in line with the desire of those within the female community game to develop the 15-a-side game".
- The WRU further developing the player pathway and competition structures alongside the community-based female hubs.
- WRU community looking at further opportunities for alternative playing formats such as sevens and touch rugby to further engage and recruit new players.
- Reviewing the competition structure and effectiveness of the Premiership and Championship, along with agreeing to support the top level of domestic female rugby in Wales while developing other layers of the performance game.
- Each region forming a "regional female advisory group" made up of representatives from female hubs, senior clubs, education establishments and external members, leading to the formation of a "national female advisory group" to report to the Community Game Board's sub-committees.
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