Premiership Rugby receives £600000 grant to increase the number of women in ...

The two-year initiative – similar projects are expected to follow in cricket

and football – has the target of bringing 7,000 women and girls into the

game, including 480 female coaches as well as 2,500 participants from black

and ethnic minority communities.

Mark McCafferty, the Premiership Rugby chief executive, admitted that it would

be a daunting challenge but said he was confident it was achievable. “It is

a two-year programme but by next summer we will want to have demonstrated

sufficient progress to be able to extend the scheme because they will be

going into budget planning post the election next year,” he said.

“We will want to extend so we are right under pressure from the start to make

sure we really have a good first year.

“The overall message is ‘Be part of it’ and get involved. When we all join new

clubs or environments there is an initial sense of trepidation. We have got

to knock over some of those hurdles and find ways to making it easy and

comfortable for girls, women or the black and ethnic minority community to

get involved.

“I have no doubts there are going to be some daunting challenges but we have

never really shirked from those before. Hopefully it was what Premiership

Rugby is about. We will take it on and get the job done.”

Chris Holmes, disability commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights

Commission, said: “This is the start of something. The women at the top end

have done a phenomenal job to be world champions. This is about giving

people that first opportunity to step onto a rugby field and break down

those barriers.”

Article source: http://sportsnewsireland.com/rugby/rugby_irish/ireland-rugby-team-to-play-england-2014-02-20/

Premiership Rugby receives £600000 grant to increase the number of women in ...