Northampton Saints’ annual Community Game proved to be the catalyst for a brand‑new girls’ section at a grassroots club within the region.
The PREM Rugby Cup clash with Saracens at Franklin’s Gardens was Saints’ annual Community Game, when the Club’s outreach programmes are celebrated, including; Saints in the Schools, Project Rugby, Walking Rugby, Wheelchair Rugby, Little Saints and Shape Up With Saints.
Affiliated Clubs – including Long Buckby RFC – are also showcased with festivals, taster classes and demonstrations happening throughout the day.
Ahead of the match, a primary schools girls‑only festival was held, giving Year 5 and 6 pupils the chance to play competitive fixtures on the training pitches before heading inside Franklin’s Gardens with free tickets provided through the Community Game initiative.
One of the schools involved was Long Buckby Junior School, who took part in Saints’ girls‑only primary school programme delivered by the Club’s Community department during curriculum time.
On the match day, Dave Phillips, Long Buckby RFC’s Affiliate Club Ambassador through the Northampton Saints Affiliate Club Scheme, was in attendance.
During the festival he spoke with parents, created a WhatsApp group, and connected families directly with the club — laying the foundations for Long Buckby’s brand‑new girls’ section.
From an initial group of eight girls, the section has now grown to 25 registered players, with 21 girls turning out for their most recent fixture in May. Many of the girls are also engaging in wider rugby activity, including Saints’ girls‑only camps during school half‑terms.
To cap off a brilliant first season, the Long Buckby girls attended Lightning’s final home game of the campaign against Saracens on Sunday 31 May, proudly taking part in the big flag pre‑match tradition on the pitch.
Saints’ Women & Girls Rugby Development Officer, Tabitha Banks, praised the impact of the programme. She said: “It is fantastic to see so many girls joining Long Buckby after engaging with them in their school and then at the Community Game.
“We are incredibly passionate about giving girls the chance to play rugby for the first time and supporting them to take up the sport more regularly at their schools and clubs. The success at Long Buckby RFC is a great example of a community club linking their aims with our programmes at Saints, and they are seeing brilliant results off the back of it.
“Since we have finished our delivery at Long Buckby Junior School, it is so pleasing that the school has continued to support girls rugby through its lunchtime girls rugby club.”
Long Buckby RFC ambassador Dave Phillips echoed the sentiment, saying: “We’ve been working to grow our girls’ section at the club for a few years now, and the support from Saints and Tabitha to get this off the ground has been a huge contributing factor to this season’s success.
“We look forward to continuing the growth in collaboration with the club for years to come.”
For more information on girls rugby at Long Buckby RFC, please email: play@lbrfc.co.uk