I’ve watched rugby my whole life, but it never crossed my mind that I could get out there and play. For boys, it seems a given that, from the age of three, they’ll be tumbling around on the floor. Growing up with my sister, it wasn’t like that at all. We didn’t have the same opportunities to be boisterous. A year ago, a friend told me he’d started coaching a women’s rugby team. He convinced me to go along to a session and I absolutely loved it.
I play 15-a-side full-contact rugby union for Newbury RFC. Broadly speaking, there are two roles on the team. The forwards are the ones who crash the ball down the pitch; the backs tend to be quick and use their pace to score tries. I’m a scrum-half, so it’s my job to link the two, to communicate with everyone and control the game. You have to be quite bossy, which suits me perfectly. Every time a team-mate is tackled, the scrum-half is generally the one who picks up the ball and passes it out, so you can’t switch off for a moment. You’re also the first line of defence. I’m 5ft 2in and 50kg (7st 12lb), so when someone twice my size is running at me full pelt it can be intimidating. But then the adrenaline kicks in and I’ll tackle them. If I get knocked down, my team-mates are there straight away to help me back up.
You need to be comfortable with being physical. I’ve been playing for a year and I’ve broken both thumbs and both little fingers. It hasn’t stopped me playing – I just strap up my hands and go out covered in bandages. The physicality is one of the reasons I love rugby. It requires mental strength too: getting on the pitch, knowing you’re going to get hit – that takes determination.
When I’m out there in the winter, when it’s snowing and I can’t feel my fingers and my eyelashes are frozen, I do sometimes wonder what I’m doing. And you do get through a lot of laundry detergent. But I love the sense of belonging, of being part of a team. Rugby has made me a stronger person, in every sense.
My weekend workout
How often do you play? Training twice a week and a match most Sundays.
Favourite pre-match meal? A full English.
Proudest moment? Being named most improved player.
Five ways to get started
1 Don’t be put off by the contact aspect. There are loads of different forms of rugby, including touch and mixed-gender walking, which is great for anyone who just wants to stay active, without the physical contact. People think age is a barrier to playing – it isn’t.
2 There’s a position on the pitch for everyone, regardless of shape or size. Whether you just want to learn the skills and train, or play competitively, you’ll get fitter and stronger.
3 If you want to play contact rugby but you’ve never picked up a ball, no one is going to force you to tackle in your first session. A good coach will always teach you the safe technique and build it up in stages.
4 To pass the ball, hold it with two hands, twist at the hips, bring it to your side and point it towards where you want to throw it. Then quickly twist back round (like Elvis doing a little wiggle) and throw.
5 A great way to pick up the basics without getting clattered is at an O2 Touch rugby centre.
• Lucy Moore, coach at Reading RFC
Essential kit
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