Wageningen plays in purple (Photo: Sven Menschel)
It was a dream come true for WUR students and Wageningen rugby players as they have been trying for years to establish a Wageningen women’s team after the earlier team got disbanded in 2007.
Since then Wageningen ladies were part of the cluster team with neighbouring regions. Instead of the tiring trips to Arnhem and Doetinchem for practice throughout the years when the team was part of a cluster, the team now has a home pitch at Sportpark De Zoom under the aegis of Rugby Club Wageningen for practice sessions and matches.
Electrifying
The Wageningen team’s first comeback home match was full of electrifying performances. The opponents were the team from Utrecht and they proved to be strong contenders. Nonetheless, the Wageningen team was in control throughout with their better defence, ball possession and constant try attempts. The dominance of the Wageningen team continued past half-time till the end, and they sealed the victory for 29-12.
Young and old
The Wageningen women’s team is very diverse and has members aged from 17 to 50. The agility and speed of the players were simply amazing and Wageningen ladies impressed spectators with their rucks and line-outs as well. The team also score high on team spirit with everyone constantly encouraging each other. Most players referred to the team as the family and emphasised how the game rewarded them with great friends for life. Captain Suzanne Petiet: ‘We are so excited to have our own team for the first time in 10 years! We look forward to more rugby and good times.’
New blood
The Wageningen team is now calling for new members too. For anyone interested, the Wageningen women’s rugby team has intro sessions at Sportpark De Zoom every Tuesday at 19.45, as well as regular matches.