University Women’s Rugby team attends Rugby World Cup welcome
Posted on 8 November 2024
The University's Women's Rugby Club, one of the York SU's many sports clubs, was invited to the launch event, where the students joined professional players on a boat trip along the River Ouse to Clifford's Tower.
Speaking as the window for ticket applications opened, the Women's Rugby Club president Jennifer Cox-Kersley said: “We’ve seen the popularity in our intake this year, just the amount of people excited to try rugby.”
The team were joined by former England international Maggie Alphonsi and Jodie Ounsley, the ex-England Sevens player from Dewsbury who appeared as Fury in the TV show Gladiators.
Miss Alphonsi said: “The enthusiasm has been great today, we finally welcome the World Cup to the city, this iconic city.”
Miss Cox-Kersley said the opportunity for female rugby players to attend games locally “is a good thing”.
She added: “I want to keep encouraging girls to start playing and I think what Maggie and Jodie are doing is really important.”
The club's captain, Louise Hamilton, said: “It’s just a very exciting opportunity for us. We’re just really grateful that we got invited.”
Miss Hamilton added that she had already applied for tickets after the ballot opened earlier. Fans have until 19 November to select the matches and price categories they are interested in and they will hear whether they have been successful by 2 December.
York Sport staff also attended, as they look to host some of the Rugby World Cup teams at their campus training facilities during next year's Women's Rugby Union World Cup.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup promises to draw rugby fans from around the globe, and York’s inclusion as a host city underscores its dedication to supporting and growing women’s rugby.