Portsmouth Valkyries ‘keen to push on’ after impressive debut season in third tier of English women’s rugby

Formed in 1998, the Valkyries were promoted to the South West Championship 2 at the end of 2018/19. They won all 14 of their South East West 1 games and then triumphed in a play-off final.

Playing at the highest level the club have ever reached, they finished fifth in the eight-team SW Championship 2. Had they won their last game - which was cancelled due to the pandemic - they would have won exactly half of their 14 league matches.

‘We were really competitive,’ said head coach Mark Witcher.

‘There were a lot of new challenges to get used to.

‘We were playing some long-established clubs, while we were also travelling long distances - we twice went to Devon to play Cullompton and Plymouth.

‘But the club were fantastic in supporting us, laying on coaches for us to travel on.

‘It was a really good adventure, a strong learning curve.

‘Now we’re keen to push on.’

A major change for the 2020/21 season - whenever it starts - is that the Valkyries will be entering a 2nd XV into a league for the first time.

The 2nds played a few friendlies last season, but club officials want to provide a more competitive element.

‘We have some girls who are capable of playing in the first team, and other girls who are new to rugby,’ explained Witcher. ‘This is a good chance to get them involved in games without so much pressure.’

The 2nds are hoping to play at National Challenge 2 level, the fifth tier of women’s rugby, with matches against clubs from Hampshire, Dorset and Surrey.

‘They will be playing mainly 1st XVs, it will be a competitive league,’ declared Witcher.

Natasha Davison has replaced Alice Kightley as 1st XV captain for 2020/21. Kightley, a Naval nurse, has relinquished the role due to a work promotion which could affect her availability.

‘Natasha was a natural choice - all the coaches decided she should be the captain,’ said Witcher.

‘Natasha leads from the front, she’s well respected by the girls - we’re all really excited to see what she brings to the role.’

Next season will be Davison’s third at Valkyries, having moved to Portsmouth from the north west. Born in Widnes, a rugby league stronghold in Cheshire, she was brought up playing that sport until switching codes during her time at Lancaster University.

The prop forward thoroughly enjoyed last season’s learning curve, and is confident they can build on it in 2020/21.

‘The division was more professional, the games were much higher quality,’ said Davison.

‘Some of the girls would have found it a much bigger challenge after having easier games the previous season.

‘But it’s always nicer to win a game by five points rather than 50.

‘We finished mid-table but I don’t think there was a side we couldn’t have beaten, apart from the top team who won all their games (Reading Abbey).

‘Next season I honestly think we’ve got a good chance of winning the league, or going very close. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was to happen.’

Off the field, Valkyries will look to further strengthen ties with the University of Portsmouth when the recreational game restarts.

‘We took three or four of their players last season. Carrie Whymark was a stand-out - she won the backs player of the year,’ Witcher remarked.

‘She’s only young but she plays above her age; she used to play for Thurrock, who are a division higher than us.’

All the Valkyries players - around 60 are registered - come under a four-strong coaching team.

Witcher is joined by his assistant Al Dyer, Steve Brooks and new forwards coach Rhys Evans.

‘Rhys is a former Portsmouth player, I’ve known him for a long time,’ said Witcher. ‘He was at the top of our radar when we were looking for a new forwards coach.

‘We’re really excited to get him on board.’

Brooks will take charge of the 2nd XV on matchdays.

Moving forward, Valkyries are keen to further boost their numbers - especially as they will be fielding a 2nd XV more regularly.

‘Three or four years ago we hit a purple patch with recruitment,’ Witcher recalled. ‘We always recruit well from the Navy and we’re looking for stronger ties with the university.

‘Earlier this year Portsmouth was identified as one of the best cities in the country, in terms of demographics, for recruitment and retention of women in rugby.

‘We want to capitalise on that if we can, we want to hold an open day later in the summer.

‘I know it sounds as if we’ve got a lot of players, but we’re only an amateur club and we realise not everyone is going to be available all the time.

‘That’s why we want to have a good recruitment drive.’

It’s not just senior players the club are eager to attract to Rugby Camp.

‘The club are desperate to push on and set up under-13, under-15 and under-18 girls teams in order to boost numbers for the first teams,’ said Witcher.

‘It’s better to do that than losing them at 12 and then trying to attract them back at 18.’

The task of trying to encourage more junior girls to join the Valkyries set-up is part of Pauline French’s remit.

She played for the Valkyries when the team was founded over two decades ago, having previously started her career with Havant, and is now director of female rugby at Portsmouth RFC

During her career, perceptions have changed about women and girls playing the sport - though pockets of suspicion still exist in society.

‘The attitudes have changed,’ French said. ‘Back when I started in 1993 it was like ‘you play rugby? Don’t your bones break easier than men’s bones? Do you tackle the same way?’

‘Now it’s a case of ‘you play rugby? Why do you play for?

‘You’ll still get the occasional comment about women’s rugby. I’ll have a word - ‘do you realise how that sounds?’ It’s about being challenging rather than antagonistic.’

French admits the main route to spreading the Valkyries message is via school visits - not an option in the last few months.

But once the 2020/21 school term starts, club officials will be visiting local schools promoting girls rugby under the RFU’s Inner Warrior campaign.

The governing body’s campaign, now in its third year, has seen more than 18,000 females attend a camp to date nationwide.

‘We want to get into the schools, though it’s hard to advertise at the moment because they’re shut. It’s something we want to do next season,’ stated French.

‘We’ll try and run some after-school sessions, we want to show girls that rugby is a fun sport, it’s not just a sport for boys.

‘It’s actually a very good sport for giving girls a body confidence boost.

‘They can see that rugby players can be

any shape. There’s a shape for every position - you don’t have to be a runner or a pusher, you can be anything.

‘At the start of the year we had plans to go into schools around March, we had the volunteers, we had the connections at the schools.

‘That’s what we’ll do next season, we need to get in there and build and build the momentum.’

Portsmouth RFC have not had a junior girls side for many years - a fact French is keen to change.

‘The girls can only play mixed rugby up to under-11 level, after that they have to find their own team and it can be hard to get the numbers,’ she admitted.

‘Girls play tag rugby at junior school but not many play contact rugby at senior school, it can be hard to get the coaches.

‘Part of my role is trying to ensure we get the support network to run a junior side - it’s not just about finding players, it’s about getting the coaches, the volunteers, the physios.’

French added: ‘Parents’ attitudes have also been changing.

‘A few years ago a mum said to me her child wasn’t enjoying it, rugby was too dangerous, and she was going to play hockey instead. I said ‘you’re going to give her a weapon?!’

‘With the right coaching, playing rugby is as safe as walking down the street.’

Davison has also a huge change in recent years surrounding how women’s rugby is viewed.

‘It’s becoming more and more popular,’ she said. ‘The big jump was in 2014 when England won the World Cup.

‘For the first time the main women’s players were becoming as well known as the men.

‘Twenty years ago people would laugh about women’s rugby, there were a lot of stereotypes around.’

While England’s men have only won the rugby World Cup once, the women have won theirs twice - the first time was in 1994.