Girls youth rugby training takes place on Tuesday from 6.45pm to 8.15pm. New girls are always welcome. Girls who have joined recently are asked to please bring their completed registration form; registration fee and photocopy of their birth certificate or passport to training on Tuesday.

Saturday 19 February has been set for the trials for the Connacht girls’ under 17 team, further details to follow. All Westport under 17 girls should keep this day free.

Last Tuesday night (January 18) almost fifty girls trained at Westport RFC, confirming the energy there is in Westport around girls youth rugby at the moment. The test of progress nonetheless was going to be last Saturday (January 22), when the under 15's had their first real match, against Connemara, and the under 17's had their second match against Ballina. Both teams came through with flying colours.

The u15’s played a tight, competitive game with either side edging one try ahead and the other responding immediately until the final quarter of the game when the Westport girls powered ahead to win by 12 tries to 8. It was a very promising performance, particularly considering that several girls were very new to rugby. Both teams really enjoyed what was a very sporting game and great thanks to the team and coaches from Connemara. No doubt there will be another day.

The under 17s took on a Ballina team that had beaten them well last October. But yesterday the dedication, commitment, talent and sheer enthusiasm of the Westport girls shone through when they convincingly beat the Ballina girls 7 tries to 1. Thanks also to the Ballina team and coaches. Hopefully a healthy, positive, rivalry will continue to develop which will help build the girls’ game in Mayo. Wendy Hickey and Emer O’Dowd from Connacht Rugby were at the match to begin the process of picking a Connacht under 17 squad and they were very impressed with what they saw.

Westport rugby girls – take a bow! Last Saturday (January 22) while the mini boys’ trip to Galwegians was cancelled due to an unplayable pitch, the Westport girls flew the flag for Westport... and (literally) for Connacht. The mini girls from Westport travelled to the Sportsground on Saturday evening to play at half time during the Connacht v Cavalieri Prato match. One parent spoke of how her rugby loving daughter was up and dressed in her Westport jersey at 7am (the bus was due to leave at 3.30pm), wondering “Are we going yet?” The girls joined a big contingent of Westport youth girls and other clubs' youth and girls' mini teams in the pre-match parade and guard of honour for the teams. They played their half time matches with gusto, despite that distracting Tannoy music which just made some of them want to dance.

The really satisfying thing from a Westport perspective is that we have a promising number of girls playing both at mini and youth levels, and while much remains to be done to bed this development in, things are looking good. Well done to the mini girls and to the team of leaders who are working with them.

This Saturday (January 29) the mini girls will have home training while the boys will travel to the rescheduled Galwegians blitz. They should assemble at 8.20am at the Leisure Centre Car Park. Estimated time of return will be 2.30pm. Parents are particularly asked to help by travelling on away trips like this.

There has been a real buzz around girls’ rugby in Westport recently. Girls at youth level (13- 19 years) are relishing rugby. They are realising that rugby is for them. It’s exciting, it’s inclusive, it’s skilful, it's athletic and, when played well, it is poetic. They cannot get enough of it. As well as the Tuesday evening training sessions the girls have started playing some keenly contested training matches on Sunday afternoons on the full pitch in preparation for upcoming competitive matches. So maybe it’s time for you, or someone you know, to join in.

Weekly training takes place every Tuesday evening from 18.45 to 20.15 at the club grounds in Carraholly. If you are interested in participating you are very welcome. Make sure to bring a gum shield.

Girls youth rugby (13-19 years) training restarted recently after the long break. Weekly training takes place every Tuesday evening from 18.45 to 20.15 at the club grounds in Carraholly. If you are interested in participating you are very welcome. Make sure to bring a gum shield.

As well as the Tuesday evening training sessions the girls have been playing some keenly contested training matches on Sunday afternoons on the full pitch in preparation for upcoming competitive matches

Last Sunday (November 21), the first Westport girls’ youth team took to the field to participate in the new Connacht Girls’ Under 17 League. This is a great step forward for rugby in the Westport area as it officially marks the arrival of girls in the club. We hope it will encourage other girls from the Westport area to get involved and build on this opening up of the game to girls and women.

Connemara RFC provided the opposition on the day but was outclassed by a talented Westport side who won very convincingly. The Westport girls proved themselves to have great talent, particularly when taken into consideration that they have been playing for a very short time. They are essentially novices to the game, but they displayed a high level of general athleticism, gritty tackling, skilful ball handling and a capacity to organise both defence and attack. They sparkled on many occasions with great team passing moves, peppered with individual flair and topped off with some great kicking. They clearly enjoyed the game and were left with an appetite for more. Well done to all the girls, their coaches, parents and supporters.

Girls youth rugby (13-19 years) training takes place on Tuesday evening (November 23) and every Tuesday evening from 18.45 to 20.15 at the club grounds in Carraholly. If you are interested in participating you are very welcome. Make sure to bring a gum shield.

This Sunday (November 21), in what is a significant development for girls' rugby, the Westport RFC under 15 and 17 girls' youth teams play their first matches in the new girls' youth league. The under 17's play Connemara while the under 15's play a combination from Ballina, Connemara and Ballinasloe. Kick off is at 12 noon and all support is welcome.

Girls youth rugby (13-19 years) training takes place on Tuesday evening (November 16) and every Tuesday evening from 18.45 to 20.15 at the club grounds in Carrowholly. If you are interested in participating you are very welcome. Make sure to bring a gum shield.

Last Saturday (October 30) Westport Youth Girls Rugby team played two games in Ballina with teams from Ballina and Connemara. They lost the first game 7-4. They had allowed the Ballina girls to build up a significant lead in the first half, but in the second half they gave as good as they got. The second game against Connemara was a much better contest for the full game with the Westport girls leading until well into the second half before Connemara worked hard to come back into the game, finishing a draw 4-4.

All the girls played very well and it was a great learning experience to play their first games on a full pitch. The coaches were very pleased with the outing and were confident that the girls have the potential to make very good teams.

It was decided after the games to start a league on the weekend of November 20 which will run over the coming months involving home and away games against the other girls’ teams at under 15 and under 17 levels.

Girls youth rugby (13-18 years) training takes place on Tuesday evening (November 2) and every Tuesday evening from 18.45 to 19.45 at the club grounds in Carrowholly. If you are interested in participating you are very welcome. Please come along on Tuesday to join in. Make sure to bring a gum shield.

After the success of 2010, it is proposed to start a womens Rugby Team in Westport. If there is enough interest, training would commence in September with games starting shortly after that. The team would be affiliated to Westport RFC and would have use of the facilities of Westport RFC in Carrowholly.