Kady Hall stepped on to the pitch for the first time at the age of 22 to fill a gap in the team and has never looked back. "I had always been a footballer through and through but the team spirit was like nothing I had experienced before so I stayed."
The rush of chasing the ball down after the first kick, the blood rushing through her body as she dived in for the first tackle and resetting for the first scrum. Nothing could have prepared Hall for the feeling of strength as she worked with her team to dominate and steal possession of the ball.
But some players do not get that rush; they do not get that feeling of power, strength and exhilaration. Some are entering this loud, boisterous sport being shy and unsure of the possible 'horrors' that await them on the pitch and in the clubhouse.
This is a big social barrier in women's rugby. The masculine mask can not be scarier to tackle than your first scrum or ruck. Except with the help of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the media and the players – women’s rugby is breaking down its social barriers.
Kady Hall, Vice Captain for Preston Grasshoppers, was fortunate to be welcomed with open arms by friends that already played. But that is not the case for every new player and a definite social barrier for women's rugby. "It can be intimidating because of the male dominance in rugby clubs, especially if you do not have brothers or a dad that is already part of the club.
Rugby is well known for offering a social life from drinking games to a Sunday fun bus on game day. But blending that sociability between men and women teams has not always been so traditional – even though the women can see off a pint of beer in next to no time at all.
"It is crucial that women get involved in social events to get themselves known and create that comforting connection. Then the appeal to others will follow rather than intimidation," - Kady Hall added.
To narrow the intimidating social barrier, the RFU are attacking the 60 - 70 year tradition of masculinity by integrating the men's and women’s game. Mike Barnett, former England women’s A coach believes that this equality is another tipping point in breaking down more barriers. "This means when we speak about statics in rugby it is no longer men’s and women’s but just rugby. Pulling these changing in from the top if the hierarchy shows attitudes have changed and will continue to change the perception of the sport."
One of the biggest challenges of social barriers is changing other people’s opinions. It is clear by Barnett’s point that those opinions can only change if things change at the top of the pyramid.
"People have recognised that this change has to happen and therefore it is making clubhouses a more welcoming place for women to be. Of course you will always have the old, stubborn, grey haired man sat in the corner of the club but it is a start." – Mike Barnett, former England A women's coach.
In order to push clubs like rugby in the right direction, Women In Sport campaign tirelessly to communicate with sport roles. Knowing how to make sporty venues an inviting place for women to be is half the job done.
These changes are becoming apparent in today's generation of female rugby players as the participation of women in rugby continues to grow. Moving away from the intimidating one route XV game, the development of O2 Touch offers a leisurely life-style sector to rugby. But still the biggest potential for growth hovers around University ruby. It is the one place no one judges you for what you do and everyone is trying new things.
Jem Macroft, 18, joined rugby after seeing how much it had to offer when she completed a detailed assignment about it. The Seaford winger explained: "I went to my college rugby training and have not left since! I love rugby because I am able to run with the ball without feeling my shin splints. I had to give up road running because of the splints but rugby has offered me a new, enjoyable and challenging route."
Players like Marcroft show the lifeline that women's rugby offers for women in sport. To continue these opportunities, the social barrier built around mentioning women in sport and in rugby in the media needs to be broken down too. Working towards these are campaigns such as 'This Girl Can’.
Nicola Miller, Director of campaigns and engagement at Women in Sport harmonises. “Sport for women needs to be made normal by making it visible – boys have grown up being taught to play and enjoy sport where as that is different for females. It is important that women see other women taking on sport whether that be down the local sports club or on television. This is even more substantial with masculine sports such as rugby because it needs to be accepted and recognised by females who would not normally play.
"This Girl Can is a great project to enable this, it does not focus on participation numbers but it is the tip of the iceberg in raising awareness." –Nicola Miller, Women In Sport
