BECCLES Rugby Club has recently appointed its first-ever director of ladies’ rugby.

Liz Carpenter has been elected to the post, with the support of ladies’ skipper Anna Peck and Georgina Carpenter.

The club boasts girls’ teams at under-15 and18 level in the Eastern Counties League and is in the process of trying to enter a competitive league at senior level. For this to happen, the ladies must play a series of eight friendlies to be eligible.

Coaching co-ordinator at Beccles Rugby, Alan Carpenter, said: “The club has changed its committee quite a bit and is trying to be a fully inclusive club.

“The girls’ and ladies’ sections at the club are still growing and they are vital in the development of Beccles RUFC.

“This is all about building up player numbers which is extremely difficult when you are doing it from scratch.

“But these are exciting times for the club and we are looking to take on new players in all age groups.”

Mr Carpenter added that the chance to play ladies’ rugby for a local team could lead to further opportunities up the ladder, especially as the sport was still relatively small in this country.

“In women’s rugby, the pool of players to choose from is a lot smaller than in the men’s game, so there is every chance that a girl from the back end of Norfolk could go right through to the England set-up,” he said.

For further details:www.pitchero.com/clubs/beccles/officials/

Beccles men begin their London 3 North campaign away at East London on September 15.