Stephanie Fsadni learns that rugby is not as rough as it may look and can be played by all. She meets four female rugby players who tell her about their love of the game and how it has helped them on a social and personal level.

Malta is doing very well in rugby compared to other, more traditional sports. And this goes for both male and female national teams. Because yes, as rough as it may seem to the unitiated, it is not only a male sport.

The first local female rugby team was founded in 2003 by the Kavallieri Rugby Football Club. It has been going from strength to strength and six of its senior female players form part of the female national team.

Amanda Cassar, 29, is this year celebrating a decade playing rugby.

Her first foray into the sport came quite coincidentally.

“I didn’t choose rugby... it chose me,” says Amanda who is also a member of the national team.

She recounts how one day she went for a jog at the Marsa Sports Complex and met an old friend who was about to attend a rugby training session and invited her to join.

“I liked it from the very first start. I liked the team spirit, the friendly environment... and I thought that the shape of the ball was cool!,” she says with a laugh and admits that at first she thought she was going to play American football.

Mariella, 36, has been playing rugby for the past seven years: “I used to watch it a lot on TV, liked the game and one day just decided to try it out.”

It’s not about who is going to score, but doing your role well and helping your teammates to score

Celine Smith, 20, who is South African, also started playing seven years ago: “In South Africa, it’s part of the culture. Since my country won the Rugby World Cup in 2007, I felt inspired to try this game, especially because of the discipline that comes with it.”

On the other hand, Myra Bonello, 20, who’s been playing for four years with the team, had started the sport at school.

“I was in this association called Girls on the Move at San Andrea, which was an after-school activity. I liked rugby and wanted to take it further. Amanda was coaching us and she encouraged me to start with Cavallieri.”

The girls immediately dismiss the fact that rugby is a rough sport or that one has to be muscular to be successful.

“It’s not as rough as it looks. If you understand the rules and practise, you’ll know what you have to do not to get hurt,” affirms Mariella.

“I have spaghetti arms,” says the petite Myra, who also plays with the national team.

Mariella adds that their coaches make the sport look easy and safe.

“Cavallieri’s head coach, Keith Hopkins, and our coach, David Lewis, have a lot of experience. They break down the game and explain it so easily, you feel nothing is going to hurt you,” she says confidently. “I’m more prone to accidents outside the pitch than on it.”

This doesn’t mean no one gets hurt but the girls say that bruises and injuries never discouraged them.

“You actually become quite proud of them,” says Celine, who has suffered a sprained ankle and back injuries, among others.

“So when people ask you what happened, you tell them ‘I play rugby’!”

This statement, however, still draws some puzzled faces.

“Many people still don’t know that women play rugby,” claims Amanda. “And you get all sorts of comments, such as ‘Don’t mess with her, she plays rugby’.

“People often also associate it with a strong character, which is not necessarily so. I was once told this during a job interview.”

Celine has met people who thought she was gay just because she played rugby.

Saying that rugby is not rough, doesn’t mean it’s not tough. Training involves meeting twice a week at the Marsa pitch and a match on Saturday mornings. But that’s not all. Each one has to work individually or in group on their fitness, stamina and power levels.

They sometimes organise alternative training sessions, like joint circuit training with the male team.

“Sometimes we are better than them,” says Myra proudly.

In summer they play beach rugby. A typical warm-up session would involve jogging up and down the steps at Riviera beach several times!

The most challenging thing about rugby, according to Mariella, is in fact stamina to “keep on going”.

On the other hand, one of the most rewarding aspects of the game is the camaraderie, the strong rapport among the members.

“It’s not about who is going to score, but doing your role well and helping your teammates to score.”

Rugby has helped the girls on a personal level.

“Coaches have a lot of faith in us and are doing a good job at counteracting the stereotypical perception. They help us in our lives too,” says Mariella.

“Some people are just happy with their lives. People’s limits start where their vision ends,” comments Myra.

“Coach Lewis has inculcated in us this mindset that whatever you do, you make progress. You don’t necessarily have to win, you don’t have to be a star. But mentally, you will always win.”

The game is also well known for its social aspect.

“We take a beer after the pitch and we shake hands with our opponents after a match,” declares Amanda.

“During a game we may play fiercely against each other but then we laugh and have fun together.”

The girls agree that there should be more initiatives to make the sport more popular and help quell the perception that it’s a sport for men only.

“There needs to be more knowledge at schools and on social media, especially since women are doing very well locally and abroad. Perhaps there should also be better investment in rugby than in football,” states Amanda.

The four players would encourage every woman to take up a sport, however there’s a particular reason why rugby is so special.

“Every sport gives you a lot of confidence, but rugby gives you a family,” says Myra.