Greenock Wanderers RFC crowned Scottish winners of Royal London Championing Women & Girls’ Rugby Award
Greenock Wanderers RFC has been named the Scottish winner of the prestigious Championing Women & Girls’ Rugby Award, an honour presented by Royal London in partnership with The British & Irish Lions. The award celebrates clubs that are making a meaningful impact in growing women’s and girls’ rugby, strengthening their communities, and creating inclusive opportunities both on and off the pitch.
The recognition marks a major milestone for Greenock Wanderers, whose girls’ rugby programme was launched just two and a half years ago with the aim of building a strong and sustainable pathway for female players. Since then, the programme has flourished, with girls as young as seven and women into their late forties now representing the club. The section has become a true rugby family, with mothers and daughters playing side by side and players travelling from across the region to be part of the Wanderers community.
Central to the club’s success is its commitment to breaking down barriers to participation. Greenock Wanderers operates a Scholarship Programme that removes membership fees and provides kit for those who might otherwise struggle to take part. The club has also introduced a progressive Maternity Policy, designed to help players remain involved in the sport before, during and after pregnancy. This includes pausing subscription payments, offering additional support from physios and coaches to ensure a safe return to play, and providing a dedicated breastfeeding space at the club for both players and supporters.
Beverley Addison, Vice President of Rugby and Director of Women and Girls Rugby at Greenock Wanderers RFC, said the award represents both recognition and opportunity for the club.
“Winning the Championing Women and Girls’ Rugby Award is not just an honour — it’s an opportunity,” she said. “Women’s and girls’ rugby has become a cornerstone of Greenock Wanderers, and this award is testament to the dedication of our players, coaches, volunteers and supporters. The £10,000 grant will help us upskill our junior and senior players and coaches, enhance our facilities, and continue to provide a welcoming, supportive environment for all. Most importantly, it shows our girls that their dreams are supported not just by our club, but by the wider rugby community.”
She added: “From our humble beginnings 12 years ago, our Women’s Section has grown rapidly, now fielding both a 1XV and a 2XV team — the only club outside a major Scottish city to do so. Our ambition is to reach the Premiership within the next five years, and this recognition brings us a step closer to that goal. Our young girls now dream of being Lions, and it is just amazing to think that one day one of them might just get there.”
Royal London, Founding Partner of The British & Irish Lions Women’s Team, praised the work being done at grassroots level across the game. Susie Logan, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Royal London, highlighted the growing strength of women’s and girls’ rugby throughout the home unions.
“As Founding Partner of The British & Irish Lions Women’s Team, we’re proud to continue to work with the Lions on our Championing Women and Girls’ Rugby Award,” she said. “The decision of which club to award in each of the unions is getting more difficult as there are so many amazing applications. The amount of work, time and effort being put in across women’s and girls’ rugby clubs by coaches, players, parents and volunteers is phenomenal. We are committed to playing our part in shaping the future of women’s rugby, and I can’t wait to see what the winning clubs will do with the funds to make a difference to their players and their communities.”
The Championing Women & Girls’ Rugby Award is a flagship element of Royal London’s sponsorship of the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women’s Team. One club in each home union receives a trophy and a £10,000 grant to invest in their women’s and girls’ programmes. The sponsorship also includes a £3 million ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ investment, aimed at inspiring more women and girls to take up rugby and promoting equality and opportunity at every level of the sport.
