From Sideline Mums to League Founders
Meet Louise Caller and Alexandra Hawley, the women behind the Midlands East Ladies T1 League, creating new opportunities for women and girls to play rugby.
Three years ago, they were the people standing on the sidelines. This September, they will stand at the centre of something they built themselve.
In Profile — Louise Caller & Alexandra Hawley.
Three years ago, Ashby RFC did not have a women’s rugby team.
What it did have was a familiar grassroots rugby scene: parents gathered at the side of the pitch every weekend, watching their children play.
But behind that was a challenge facing many grassroots clubs — creating a pathway for girls and women who wanted to continue their rugby journey.
Among them were Claire, Lou and Ally.
They arrived as mums supporting their children.
Then came the question that changed everything:
What if they tried it themselves?
“Three years ago, Ashby RFC did not have a women’s rugby offering,” says Lou. “What began as a group of mums standing on the sidelines supporting our children soon turned into a conversation about giving rugby a try ourselves.”
The first step was simple — a free six-week Saturday morning women’s rugby fitness programme.
No expectations.
No pressure.
Just an invitation to try something new.
Led by Claire and Dyl Kurpil, the programme was the first step in creating a women’s pathway at Ashby RFC — giving women in the local community the opportunity to experience rugby in a welcoming environment and take their first steps into the game.
Many of the women involved had never picked up a rugby ball before.
“We hoped a few people might be interested,” says Lou, “but the response exceeded all our expectations.”
The Ashby Bullettes were born.
Finding Their Place
For Ally, that first session represented more than just trying a new sport.
Her eldest child had been playing rugby at Ashby for some time, and when she saw the six-week trial advertised through the age-grade WhatsApp group, it felt like an opportunity to meet people locally and try something different.
“Turning up to a large group of women for the first time was honestly daunting,” says Ally. “But everyone was so welcoming. I loved learning something new and having a space that was just for me.”
For many women, especially those discovering rugby later in life, finding a place to belong can be just as important as learning how to pass or score.
“Rugby really is a sport for everyone, and it has given me so much,” says Ally. “It’s hard to make new friends in your 30s, everyone’s busy and life moves fast, but having something that’s yours matters.”
“These ladies became the women I didn’t even know I needed.”
Around the same time, T1 Rugby was emerging as another way into the game — keeping the shape, skills and traditions of rugby union while removing the contact.
For a group of women discovering rugby for the first time, it offered the perfect introduction.
“We gave it a try and immediately fell in love with it,” says Lou.
The journey quickly became bigger than Saturday mornings.
The Bullettes even had the opportunity to play at Twickenham as part of a T1 showcase event.
But T1 became more than just a starting point.
For some players, it became a pathway towards contact rugby.
For others, it remained the place where they built confidence, learned new skills and found their rugby home.
“T1 strengthened our contact offer rather than competing with it,” explains Ally. “Both formats work hand in hand.”
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When The Opportunity Didn’t Exist, They Created It
There was just one thing missing.
Somewhere regular to play.
The Bullettes had found their team.
They had found their community.
They had found women who wanted to keep playing.
But fixtures were difficult to find.
“I quickly got involved in organising socials, tour, and most importantly, T1 fixtures,” says Ally. “They were incredibly hard to find.”
The group searched wherever they could.
They contacted clubs.
They posted in WhatsApp groups.
They reached out through social media.
Many teams had never heard of T1. Others were unsure about giving it a try.
But gradually, clubs began to join them.
Ashbourne, Long Eaton, Leicester Forest and Vipers all stepped forward, helping create more opportunities for women to experience the game.
But it still was not enough.
The build-up to fixtures was exciting, but afterwards the same question remained.
What next?
The women had found a love for rugby.
They needed something to play for.
So Lou and Ally stopped waiting for someone else to create it.
They built it.
“My friend and fellow Team Manager, Ally, and I have very recently established the Midlands East Ladies T1 League, which is due to commence in September 2026,” says Lou.
What started as a conversation between teammates has grown into a competition involving eight clubs across the region.
Fixtures will run home and away each month from September through to May, with results recorded in a league table and an awards ceremony bringing the season to a close in July.
But for Lou and Ally, the league is about much more than scores and standings.
It is about creating the opportunity they were looking for when they first stood on that sideline.
A place to belong.
More Than A Game
“Who doesn’t like a bit of competition every now and again,” says Ally, “but the real reason is giving more women the chance to show up and be part of something.”
Because that is what rugby has given them.
Friendships.
Confidence.
A community they never expected to find.
Neither Lou nor Ally imagined any of this when they walked into that first Saturday morning session.
“Never,” admits Lou. “At that point we’d never even heard of T1 rugby, and many of us had never thrown a rugby ball.”
What began with a few women wondering if they could play rugby quickly became something much bigger.
“It just seemed to naturally snowball into something special,” says Ally. “Wonderful ladies kept joining week after week, and that’s still the case today.”
Eventually, another question emerged.
Were they actually any good at this T1 rugby malarkey?
“Turns out,” laughs Lou, “we’re not bad. Not bad at all.”
Just Take The First Step
So what would they say to a woman thinking about trying rugby for the first time?
“Do it. Be brave,” says Ally. “It’s liberating, all-inclusive, and a great opportunity to put yourself first — with a world of opportunities open to you on and off the pitch.”
And perhaps that is the lesson from Lou, Ally and Claire’s journey.
You do not always need to know where something will lead.
Sometimes you just need to turn up.
“Our social calendar is as busy as our league fixtures,” says Lou
Because sometimes the first step into rugby is simply finding a group of people who make you want to come back next week.
And sometimes, those people become the family you never realised you needed.
The Midlands East Ladies T1 League
A new competition creating more opportunities for women to play T1 Rugby.
Launching: September 2026
Format: Home and away fixtures running from September to May
Teams involved:
Ashby RFC
Long Eaton Rugby Club
Hinckley RFC
Leicester Forest RFC
Vipers RFC
Sileby Town RFC
Notts Casuals RFC
East Leake
The season will conclude with an awards ceremony in July.
Find Out More
Ashby RFC Bullettes
Want to follow the team featured in this story?
Website:
ashbyrfc.co.uk
Instagram:
@ashbybullettes
Facebook:
Ashby RFC Bullettes
Email:
ladies@ashbyrfc.co.uk.
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Grassroots News
The people, clubs and stories building women’s rugby from the ground up, from new players making their debuts to teams creating new opportunities to play.
The people, clubs and stories building women’s rugby from the ground up
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The Biggest Win Wasn't The Score
14 women made their rugby debuts as Shrewsbury RUFC's women's section took a major step forward.
There were 39 women on the pitch at Shrewsbury RUFC on Sunday 30th August 2026.
Fourteen of them had never played a rugby match before.
By the final whistle, the Shrewsbury Reds had beaten the Blues 22–20, but the score was almost beside the point. What mattered was that two competitive women's teams had taken to the pitch — and that a whole new group of players had found their way into the game.
The match at Sundorne Castle brought a six-week Inner Warrior programme to a close. The summer programme had introduced women to the fundamentals of rugby, helped them develop their skills and confidence, and, perhaps most importantly, given them a route into the club.
The result is something that is easy to describe in numbers: 39 players. Two teams. Fourteen debutants.
But numbers don't really explain what that growth feels like.
For the players making their first appearances, Sunday's match was the moment when training became rugby. They were joined by experienced players, with the two sides — Shrewsbury Blues and Shrewsbury Reds — evenly matched enough for the game to go right down to the final moments.
The Reds eventually edged it 22–20. The Blues had a chance to take the win with a last-minute penalty, but the kick fell short.
For Jordan Bixley, captain of Shrewsbury RUFC's women's team, the significance was much bigger than the result.
“To have 39 women play and to be able to field two teams is something we can all be incredibly proud of.”
She also noticed something that doesn't appear on a scoreboard: injured players stayed on the sidelines to support their teammates, family and friends came to watch, and a former player returned to help as a touch judge.
That, perhaps, is what a growing rugby club actually looks like.
The six-week programme was led by women's head coach Rob Edison, supported by assistant coaches Simon Wait and Abbi Evans. The club says the recruitment drive has helped establish a second women's team, creating more opportunities for players at different stages of their rugby journeys.
And the growth didn't begin and end on Sunday.
Ten more players had made their first appearances in a pre-season friendly against Stafford RUFC Women the previous week. That means 24 women have made their rugby debuts in the space of two weeks.
For Edison, the development of the players is as important as the numbers.
“The fact there was only a two-point difference on the scoreboard proves just how quickly our new players have developed over the summer, and that's what matters most.”
That's the interesting part of this story.
Grassroots growth isn't always a new facility, a major signing or a headline result. Sometimes it's a player turning up for the first time. Then another. Then another ten.
Eventually, there are enough of them to put out another team.
Shrewsbury RUFC is now looking ahead with a women's section that has greater depth and more opportunities for new players to find their place in the game.
And for anyone watching from outside the club, there's a useful reminder here: women's rugby doesn't grow simply because more people are interested in it. It grows when clubs create somewhere for those people to go.
Shrewsbury is doing exactly that.
The Reds may have won 22–20.
But the bigger result was two teams on the pitch — including fourteen women playing their first rugby match.
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Back row: Shelly, Sarah (PL), Jordan (C), Liv M (VC), Connie, Jacqueline, Hayley R-W, Cheryl, Sophie I, Robyn, Kate.
Front row: Bethan, Charlotte, Ella S, Sophie M, Kayleigh, Jade, Hannah, Annabel.
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Back row: Lily, Daisy B, Izzie (C), Liv S, Tilly, Becky R, Tiffany, Menna (PL), Jenny C, Sam.
Front row: Laura R-T, Hayley N, Jen A, Shelley, Daisy C, Danni, Becky J, Ella P, Laura J.
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Touch judge: Juliet Hurrell
Referee: Michael Mason
FIND OUT MORE
Shrewsbury RUFC Women
New to rugby or returning to the game? Shrewsbury RUFC Women welcome players with previous experience and those who have never picked up a rugby ball before.
Training:
Mondays & Wednesdays, 7.00–8.30pm
Shrewsbury RUFC, Uffington, Shrewsbury SY4 4RR
Follow Shrewsbury RUFC Women:
Facebook: facebook.com/ShrewsburyRUFCWomensXV Instagram: @shrewsbury_womens_rugby_team TikTok: @shrewsbury_womens_rugby
Club website:
https://shrewsburyrufc.rfu.club