Girls Rugby in Bristol: The Story of South Bristol Girls RFC

A girls rugby club built around opportunity, community and a love of the game

If you are looking for girls rugby in Bristol, there is a growing community of young players discovering the sport, making friends, building confidence and finding a place where they belong.

South Bristol Girls RFC was created with a simple ambition: to give girls in Bristol the opportunity to play rugby, develop their skills and enjoy everything that comes with being part of a team.

What started as a small group of girls has grown into a thriving girls rugby club with players across multiple age groups, a growing coaching team and a strong community of players, parents, coaches, volunteers and supporters.

And we are only getting started.

Our story

South Bristol Girls Rugby was established in 2022 with a small group of players and a big ambition.

From those early beginnings, the club has continued to grow season after season. Our focus has always been on creating an environment where girls can play rugby because they want to, develop at their own pace and enjoy being part of something bigger than themselves.

That growth has been remarkable.

Over just two seasons, the number of girls involved with the club doubled from around 40 players to more than 80 girls representing South Bristol Girls across our age groups.  

Along the way, we have built relationships with local schools and organisations, developed links within the wider Bristol rugby community and welcomed increasing numbers of girls who simply want to give rugby a try.

Some arrive already passionate about rugby.

Others have never picked up a rugby ball before.

That does not matter to us.

There is a place for everyone.

Our mission: making girls rugby accessible in Bristol

At the heart of South Bristol Girls RFC is a straightforward mission:

To provide quality rugby across all age groups while building a strong, supportive community around our players.

Our constitution puts coaching, competition, participation and community involvement at the centre of what we do. It also makes clear our commitment to equality, fairness and ensuring that people have the opportunity to participate in sport without discrimination.

For us, that means more than simply putting teams onto a rugby pitch every weekend.

It means creating an environment where girls can:

• Learn and develop their rugby skills

• Build confidence and resilience

• Make lifelong friendships

• Experience the excitement of competitive rugby

• Learn how to work as part of a team

• Challenge themselves

• Enjoy being active

• Feel valued and included

Most importantly, we want girls to develop a lifelong love of rugby.

More than just rugby

Rugby is obviously at the centre of everything we do.

But ask anyone involved with South Bristol Girls and they will tell you that the club is about much more than what happens for 80 minutes on a Sunday.

It is about friendships.

It is about confidence.

It is about parents standing on the touchline together in the rain.

It is about coaches giving up their evenings to help young players improve.

It is about girls supporting each other when things go well and when they do not.

And it is about creating a community where young women feel they have a genuine place in sport.

Our season is therefore about much more than fixtures and results. Tours, social events, presentations, fundraising and community activities are all part of creating a club that girls want to be part of.

The recent growth of the club has demonstrated just how powerful that sense of community can be. Our AGM highlighted not only the growth in player numbers, but also the increasing number of coaches, team managers, first aiders and volunteers contributing to the club.

Girls rugby in Bristol is growing

The growth of women's and girls rugby across Bristol has created an exciting opportunity.

More girls are discovering rugby through schools, friends, family and other sports. The success and visibility of women's rugby at elite level is also helping inspire the next generation.

South Bristol Girls wants to be part of that movement.

We want a girl in Bristol who is curious about rugby to know that she can come along, have a go and find out whether she loves it.

You do not need to be the biggest, fastest or strongest player.

You do not need to have played rugby before.

You do not need to know all the rules.

You just need to be willing to have a go.

Developing players, developing people

Our coaches work hard to develop rugby players, but our ambition goes further than that.

We want to help develop confident young women who understand the value of teamwork, commitment, communication and resilience.

Rugby provides an incredible environment for that.

There are moments when everything clicks and you score the try.

There are moments when you make a mistake.

There are moments when you have to pick yourself up, support your teammate and go again.

Those experiences matter.

The club's values around equality, respect, inclusion and creating an environment free from intimidation, harassment and abuse are fundamental to how we want South Bristol Girls to operate.

Ambition on the pitch

While participation and enjoyment come first, our teams are also ambitious.

Our players compete in local and county competitions and have achieved some fantastic results.

In recent seasons, our teams have recorded strong league and cup performances, including tournament success and impressive finishes in Gloucestershire competitions.  

But we measure success in more ways than trophies.

Success is the girl who arrives nervous at her first training session and comes back the following week.

It is the player who finds confidence after struggling with a new skill.

It is the girl who progresses into a leadership role.

It is the player who helps a teammate through a difficult moment.

And, of course, it is also the team celebrating together after a great win.

Building the future of girls rugby in Bristol

The next chapter for South Bristol Girls is an exciting one.

Our ambition is to continue developing teams across the age groups, grow our player numbers, strengthen our coaching provision and continue improving the experience we offer our players.

We also want to build even stronger relationships with schools, community organisations, sponsors and other rugby clubs across Bristol.

Our move into a new club environment is part of that wider ambition, giving us the opportunity to build an even stronger club community and provide an improved experience for players and families. The decision followed detailed discussions around facilities, player development, community and the long term sustainability of the club.

But while locations, facilities and teams may change, the underlying purpose of South Bristol Girls will remain exactly the same.

Give girls the opportunity to play rugby.

Who can join South Bristol Girls?

The answer is simple.

Anyone who wants to play.

Whether your daughter is completely new to rugby, has played another sport, has been playing rugby for years or simply wants to try something different, we would love to hear from you.

We welcome girls of different abilities and experience levels and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can develop and enjoy the sport.

If you are looking for girls rugby in Bristol, junior girls rugby in Bristol or a welcoming girls rugby club in South Bristol, come and meet us.

Bring a friend.

Give rugby a try.

You might just discover something you love.

Join South Bristol Girls RFC

South Bristol Girls RFC is more than a rugby club.

It is a community of girls, families, coaches, volunteers and supporters who believe that every girl should have the opportunity to discover rugby.

We are proud of where we have come from.

We are excited about where we are going.

And we would love you to be part of the next chapter.

Girls rugby in Bristol is growing. Come and be part of it.