By Coventry Rugby 
Coventry Rugby is proud to announce the official launch of its Women & Girls Development Programme, set to begin this summer as part of a long-term strategy to grow the female game across Coventry and Warwickshire. Building on the success of the club’s Academy structure for male players across the Midlands, this new initiative will mirror key components of the boys’ model – offering aspirational female athletes regular, high-quality rugby provision and a clear pathway for development.
The programme will initially focus on the Coventry and Warwickshire region, with a view to expand as interest and participation grow. Set to launch this August, a dedicated U12-U14 Performance Camp will mark the beginning of this new pathway. From September 2025, half-termly Development Days for Year 10–11 girls will be held throughout the academic year. These sessions are designed to wrap around players’ existing schedules – whether involved in a PDG or not – and provide additional opportunities for girls to enhance their skills, confidence, readiness, and totally compliments and supports their current club playing commitments
Scottish international scrum-half Caity Mattinson will play a central role in the programme’s development, having been appointed as Coventry Rugby’s Women & Girls Ambassador. Caity joins the club as a coach within the boys’ U18 EPDG pathway and will lead delivery of the girls’ Performance Camps and Development Days. Her role has been designed to complement her professional playing commitments and the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup. Caity brings significant experience as both a coach and player, and her involvement will give young women in the region access to elite insight, mentorship, and technical development.
Speaking on her appointment, Caity said: “I’m really excited to be joining Coventry Rugby at such a pivotal time for the women’s game. The chance to help shape and grow a new female pathway – right from its early stages – is something I feel genuinely passionate about. I’m looking forward to working with the next generation of players in the region and can’t wait to get started.”
While based on the principles of the boys’ academy, the Women & Girls model will be adapted to reflect the current female playing landscape. With no professional women’s side currently linked to the club, Coventry Rugby’s focus will be on providing a strong dual-pathway that combines rugby excellence with outstanding education. From September 2025, the club will begin recruiting players into a newly formed Sixth Form Women & Girls Rugby Partnership for a start in 2026/27, which will offer 12–16 hours of rugby embedded into their academic timetables. The ambition is to create a competitive school and college fixture programme that matches the strongest institutions in the country.
Beyond sixth form, the club has its sights set on launching a Women’s BUCS programme in 2027 for a 2028/29 start through its partnership with UCFB. This will give talented female players the opportunity to access full-time training and play in university competitions while continuing to represent their club sides on weekends. This structure ensures a sustainable and aspirational development journey while enabling players to pursue a university education.
This announcement signals a significant moment in Coventry Rugby’s wider commitment to rugby development and community inclusion. The Women & Girls Programme will provide a structured, supportive, and ambitious pathway for female players, built to grow and extend participation in the women’s game.
Girls interested in being part of the first wave of the programme are encouraged to register their interest via the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/dK0p0LTYf3
For more information or media enquiries, please contact Academy Manager, Matthew Jones. mjones@coventryrugby.co.uk
