Railway Union Rugby Club in Dublin has unveiled an ambitious plan to launch a women’s rugby team which it hopes will develop talent for the Irish Senior team hoping to play at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France in 2014 and in the 7’s team that it is hoped will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
“There are girls out there who have the opportunity to become Olympians in four years,” said Railway Union Director of Rugby John Cronin.  “In a sport that Gemma Crowley, the Irish women’s rugby team manager, said at last week’s Sport for Business Round Table could ‘bring home a medal’.
“Some of these girls might still be in school, some in college, some might be talented athletes or might excel at other sports and haven’t even have played rugby yet.”
“We want to promote and support women in sport and women’s rugby in general.  As a club, we’ve decided to give women’s rugby the same infrastructure, support and opportunity that men’s rugby has traditionally received.  Opportunity shouldn’t be gender-specific and we believe young girls and women should have the same opportunities as the men.”
The club has appointed two multiple All Ireland League and Cup winners, Shirley Corcoran and Melissa Slevin, to the roles of Director of Rugby and Women’s team manager.
“The resources and support the club are putting at our disposal is unprecedented in my experience in women’s rugby in Ireland,” said Corcoran.
Women’s Rugby is developing quickly around the world, spurred in large part by its inclusion on the Olympic Programme for four years time.  A new club structure in Brazil will launch at the end of this month to further enhance the growth of the sport in the national that will host those games.
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