Sitting In The Cheap Seats

It’s the hottest day on record, the south coast swelters as we all look for a way to cool off… and on stage at Chichester Festival Theatre it is hotter still as their big summer musical is launched. So as I write this I’m thankful for two things – the air-conditioning that was added in Chichester’s 2014 relaunch and the sheer joy of Gershwin’s timeless tunes!

With a perfect record of 16 wins from 16 games leading to their fourth promotion in as many seasons London Irish Emeralds – the women’s first 15 for London Irish Amateur RFC – have found their way into Championship 1, the top tier of the RFU women’s leagues and home to some of the most celebrated teams in the game. So how do they look back on last season and what does the future look like for them?

It’s Inter-Services time again, one of my favourite periods in the rugby calendar and as I can’t get along to any of the games in person this year I decided I was long overdue in giving them some publicity. I caught up with some members of the Royal Navy women’s team ahead of them taking on the RAF in Ealing this weekend. It’s clear from the off that there’s a lot of excitement about the game. “I’m really excited” scrum half Olivia Critchley-Peddle exclaims. “It’s been three years since we’ve played this fixture, so nobody knows what to expect!” The score line three years ago favoured the RAF but there’s a distinct change to this year’s tournament as winger Abi Ashby explains “For the first time in a few years it’s almost a level playing field. The Army and RAF have lost their international players to the Six Nations so for the first time the Navy will be able to step up and show what we can do against a similar opposition.” LH Rose Dixon will lead the @RNRugby Senior Women against ...

The Game Changer, Harlequins Women ’s annual showpiece event is probably the biggest league game in the Allianz Premier 15s . Certainly it comes with more hype and fanfare than any other standalone women’s game. This year will be no different as Quins face off against Saracens Women at the Stoop tomorrow.

Bristol Bears Women have been lighting up the Allianz Premier 15s this season with their swashbuckling attacking play and battling attitude. It’s propelled them up the table and if they continue on this trajectory will see them push into the top four come the playoffs too.

Rugby fans talk a lot about the sports vaunted values. Every time the All Blacks are pictured sweeping a dressing room or unloading their own bags social media erupts in a self-righteous frenzy of folk proclaiming the greatness of the sport we love. I think rugby’s great too, but not because a big team do some nice things when a camera is nearby. For me rugby is great because even in the face of insurmountable score lines teams dig in and give it their all. It’s special because people volunteer their time and impact their careers travelling for hours to training and losing whole weekends to go and play games that they know they are not expected to win. Despite all that, players band together, become closer and show all the values of teamwork, respect, and effort that we look for in our heroes. No team encapsulates that better than DMP Durham Sharks and that’s why I’m delighted to kick off a new series diving into every Premier 15s team with these inspiring women!

Battling against wind, cold and impressive opposition London Irish Emeralds continued their excellent start to the season on Sunday. Their win over Portsmouth Valkyries confirming a run of 7 victories from 7 fixtures to put them firmly atop their league.