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Blackwood Ladies RFC have gone from strength-to-strength since forming only two-years-ago, and are now set to play in the top tier of Welsh women’s rugby.

The club, formed in 2021, play at Blackwood Rugby Club and welcome a range of players including seasoned pros and first time mums as part of their 36-player-squad.

Blackwood describe their set-up as “unrivalled” at the grassroots level, with physios, employment, financial, and mental health support offered in a bid to “cheer our ladies on and off the pitch”, according to head coach Sophie Shide.

In their first season, the club made it all the way to the Principality Stadium where they narrowly lost out to Lampeter. Described as a “wonderful experience” by coach Shide, they wanted to go one step further this season.

The club played 14 fixtures in the WRU East Wales division, winning 13 and only narrowly losing one. This was enough for them to win the league and gain promotion to the ‘Super 16’, considered to be the top women’s rugby division.

Coach Shide added: “As it stands today, we have 36 registered players, ranging in age from 18 to 39. Some are mums, some are professionals, some work shifts, some have different struggles in life but what bonds us all is that we are a rugby family, and we support each other on and off the field.”

For more information on how to get involved, you can contact coach Shide on 07946444471.