Ladies, prepare for war!

Women’s rugby pre-season 2012 was not only a time to exercise until you felt like you’d been run over by a truck, but also marked the beginning of a fresh start for the Saints.

The summer had brought several positive changes, such as a new coach and captain to lead the squad. Moreover, the older girls reached a new level of dedication over the holidays and trained hard all summer, instead of soaking up the sun in St Andrews, which was hard to resist because it was so ‘hot’ here… Things were certainly looking up for the team. There was just one small problem: a need for new players. After all, rugby is a contact sport and to say the least, many of the incoming Freshers were intimidated last year.

The ladies launched a recruitment programme, enticing new girls to join with promises of fitness, fun, and a unique social scene. It’s safe to say the programme was successful because many of the girls who showed up for the first official training session were still keen after it. So the team is looking good to go, with a complete 1st XV (aka the starting squad for those who aren’t familiar with rugby lingo,) and an impressive number of new players, eager to learn the game and compete for a starting spot.

Hard team-work on and off the pitch is certainly showing. Even though it’s about two weeks away, the squad is more than rugby-ready to take on – and crush – Aberdeen Uni on October 10th. Not only have we accumulated more individuals who now possess the distinctive personality of a ‘rugby girl’, but Saints Sport also has a rising performance team that’s a force to be reckoned with.

So what can be expected of the Saints WRFC in the upcoming year? Hopefully the future holds a BUCs title, but if not, regardless they will have raised the standard for women’s university rugby.