NMMU Sport Introduces Women's Rugby Team

Keeping with the theme of Women’s Month, the NMMU Madibaz Rugby Club has introduced a 5-year restructuring plan that will see the rise of women’s sports at the institution, more especially in the field of rugby.

Still in the first year of the plan, the NMMU Madibaz Rugby Club has identified areas of concern and has begun the task of improving their interaction in terms of branding and providing more opportunities at NMMU for female students. This comes after a large decrease in numbers of female participants and the realization from NMMU Sport that the university has never adequately catered for a women’s rugby team or league.

To aid this, they have since sent out an invitation to all who are interested in the initiative of developing a women’s rugby team and have received positive feedback from an overwhelming number of female students who are keen to join the club.

Another thing that Madibaz Sport is busy trying to get right is finding sponsorships to fund the initiative for continuity and development purposes. At the moment, the Eastern Province Women’s Rugby is taking care of the Madibaz Rugby Club ladies that have begun training in terms of coaching and physical preparation. The sponsorship will go a long way in funding a permanent women’s coach, training equipment as well as a team kit and attire. Another would be a facility solely dedicated to the women’s team, as at the moment the current school facilities are taking a knock from 10 men residence and four men club teams training a week.

There are plans in the pipeline of a residence league for the ladies which is set to be introduced around in the next two years, according to Madibaz Sport Interim, Sport Manager Mr Lamprecht.

This initiative is one that is long overdue, in all sporting codes all around the country. Women’s sport should be put along the same pedestal as men’s sports are, with all the shine and glory it deserves, more especially rugby which is thought to be “too physical” for women. NMMU has taken the first step, let us see if they will continue walking.