Members of the Peter Symonds women's rugby team have been visiting Winchester schools to introduce non-contact rugby.

The team spent the last summer term at Weeke School delivering sessions to year five and six girls.

They also visited a number of other schools, as part of the Rugby Football Union's (RFU) Love Rugby Campaign, to raise the visibility of rugby union and give girls an experience of the sport.

The venture marks the first part of a series of events organised by Peter Symonds and Winchester Rugby Club, leading up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup finals in August 2025.

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Peter Symonds Women’s rugby team have been visiting schools (Image: Peter Symonds College) As the finals approach, Peter Symonds will continue to work alongside Winchester Rugby Club to promote opportunities and positive outcomes for girls in the area who wish to participate in rugby union.

Free sessions will take place at Winchester Rugby Club on Monday evenings from 5.30pm to 6.30pm during the autumn and summer terms, which started on September 16.

These will focus on T1 Rugby, a non-contact format that reflects the characteristics of rugby union.

For girls in school years 6 to 9 who wish to play contact rugby, sessions will be held in line with the college term time and will be delivered on the college’s Bereweeke Road sports field between 3.45pm and 4.45pm on Monday afternoons, starting on September 16.

Peter Symonds head coach, Mike Marchant, said: "It’s a free after school activity for girls that wish to start or progress their rugby.

"Peter Symonds is in a unique position of having students that play for rugby clubs across Hampshire and beyond and they want to progress their knowledge and understanding of the game through coaching.

"We hope that it will deliver opportunity for learning, exercise, activity and fun for girls from the wider college community."

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For girls in school years 10 to 13, sessions will be held at the Winchester Rugby Club on Monday evenings between 6.45pm and 8pm.

Although hosted by Winchester Rugby Club, these will be free and open sessions to all girls, regardless of their Sunday club affiliation.

Mr Marchant, who will play a lead role in the delivery across all sessions, said: "It’s accepted that by year 10 most players will be established in a club of their choice. This eight-18 initiative for girls is hopefully the beginning of an exciting adventure for all involved."

It is hoped that the initiative will help establish a rugby union access for all girls within the Winchester area by the conclusion of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.