NLD U18 Girls

Following the successful launch of the NLD U18 Girls’ Extended Representative Development Programme (ERDP) in 2024/25, we are delighted to continue building on this exciting initiative for the upcoming season. The NLD County programme is designed to elevate the development of young female players and strengthen the pathway between the U18 Girls and Senior Women’s squads.

This year’s programme will again provide a season-long development environment, offering enhanced training, support and competitive opportunities. Players will take part in three County Rugby playing fixtures, with the continued aim of establishing this as the standard model for U18 Girls’ representative rugby moving forward.

Our Aim Our aim is to elevate rugby across NLD by sharpening individual skills, boosting technical understanding, and enhancing game management and decision-making.

Designed in collaboration with NLD Senior Coaches, this programme will ensure continuity and progression for players outside the current RFU Girls Player Pathway, bridging the gap from U16s to NLD Senior Women’s squads and higher levels of rugby

Team The NLD U18 Girls programme enters the 2025/26 season with an updated staff team and a new training base. We are pleased to share that Mellish Rugby Club has stepped up to host the squad this year, following months of planning to ensure the best environment for our players. Mellish already play a key role in supporting the NLD Women’s programme, and their involvement further strengthens the connection across the pathway from U18 through to Senior Women.

2025/26 Staff Group W&G’s Representative Rugby Lead: Neil Clack Head Coach: Andy McMahon, Coaching Team: Martin Roberts, Sam Scott & Steven Hogg Manager: Elicia Hodgson Lead Sports Therapist: Amy Waghorn (AJW Sports Therapy)

This refreshed structure, combined with the new base at Mellish, provides a positive, development-focused environment for our players as they prepare for the season ahead.

We are thrilled to announce the exceptional players who have been selected for the U18Ws NLD Squad!

This achievement is a testament to their hard work, skill, and commitment to the game.

Each player has shown incredible dedication, and we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

We look forward to watching these talented athletes represent the squad, and we know they’ll continue to inspire both on and off the field. Congratulations once again to all the players—your journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s continue supporting these athletes as they prepare for the exciting challenges ahead.

NLD U18W kicked off their first NLD game of the 2024-25 season with a trip down to Peterborough to face East Midlands.

The girls came out strong, with vice-captain J. Burlinson crossing the line for the opening try after just 12 minutes!

East Midlands responded with four tries, including a final one just before halftime and O. Cepelak found space in the dying moments of the first half to score another for NLD, keeping us in the fight.

In the second half, East Midlands added three more tries, converting one.

Despite their momentum, our O. Cepelak powered over the line to add another try to the scoreboard for NLD.

Sam Scott reports that 16 February saw NLD U18W back in action, making a long trip down to Aylesbury Rugby Club to take on an unknown Buckinghamshire RFU.  With their previous game being called off due to the adverse cold experienced across the country, both the players and coaching staff were eager to put what they had been practising on the training park into action against a live opposition.

A lethargic start from NLD allowed Buckinghamshire to gather the kick off under little pressure, playing up some nice phases, setting up a single runner from the 5 metre line to run a hard line for the first score of the game giving them the 5-0 lead with three minutes played.

With the early wake up call NLD’s defence was challenged again shortly after the restart with Buckinghamshire once again playing some nice phases to progress to within a couple of metres of the NLD’s try line. A single runner once more, however, this time met with some aggressive defence meaning they were held up in goal giving the NLD a goal line dropout which was punched long and chased well by A. Bethell and A. Damudamu, securing a penalty which was kicked to touch to give the NLD women some much needed territory and space to play in. Playing off the lineout NLD set up some lovely phase play of their own, providing quick ball and narrowing the defence. Identifying this, H. Saunders whipped the ball down the back line, for K. West to run in for  NLD’s first try of the game, bringing the score to 5-5, an unfortunate deflection off the crossbar for the conversion attempt by J. Burlinson.

Buckinghamshire responded almost instantly with another unconverted try of their own a couple of minutes later, once again putting NLD on the back foot. A continuous attack from Buckinghamshire led to another visit to NLD’s try line, with Buckinghamshire putting a kick over the top of the defensive line which was dotted down by NLD in a scrambled defence for a 5m attacking scrum, which Buckinghamshire took to the blind side to run a try in using the overlap created. 15-5.

Now with the bit firmly between their teeth, NLD had to dig deep late into the first half to try to halt a well drilled Buckinghamshire side. A further trip to NLD’s try line through some more phase play came up short when another of Buckinghamshire’s single runners crossed the NLD whitewash but was held up by K. West in a last ditch effort to get between the ball and grass!

A successfully regained goal line dropout meant NLD now had the ball to start playing their own phases and set pieces with the whole team linking up to distribute the ball from one edge of the pitch to the other followed by a snipe at the base from L. McGready bringing the score to 15-10.

Buckinghamshire replied after the kick-off with a further try of their own meaning the teams ended the first half with the visitors trailing by 12 points. 22-10.

Starting the second half strong NLD’s play was halted when a Buckinghamshire injury caused a short stoppage, however, when the whistle blew once more both teams put on a spectacle in both attack and defence leading to ten minutes of almost unbroken play before A. Damudamu gathered the ball in the backfield from a stray Buckinghamshire kick, stretching her legs from NLD’s ten metre line, being supported by O. Cepelak  who carried over the try line for a converted NLD try.

The Buckinghamshire kick-off was then received by centre K. West who was able make a break from her own 5-metre line, linking with captain M. Hensley who dashed across the remaining 50 metres crossing the whitewash to bring the scores level at 22-22.

Apparently rattled by the quick succession of NLD points and strong turnout in the second half a loose pass, a couple of minutes after the restart, was intercepted by J. Burlinson who made a 60 metre sprint to give NLD the lead for the first time in the match. The score now 22-27.

Play continued once more with both sides playing some exceptional rugby, stringing together phases in the centre field. An NLD knock-on allowed Buckinghamshire to bring the scores back level after their number eight picked the ball at the base of the ruck and barrelled over for another Buckinghamshire try.

With the clock now close to being in the red both teams were fighting hard to have one last chance at scoring points, NLD capitalising first when A. Damudamu once again made a break from a loose Buckinghamshire kick, crossing in the corner to secure what would have been a last minute NLD winner, had the referee not seen that a last ditch tackle from a Buckinghamshire player had pulled a trailing foot into touch, meaning the game ended a tie, 27-27.

Speaking after the match, assistant coach Sam Scott said “the girls have worked really hard all season to integrate as a unit and string together some structured phase play. Particularly with the poor weather we have had this season, meaning we have lost both training sessions and matches, we as coaches are immensely proud of how far the girls have come and the performance the group has put in today against a physically dominant and competitive Buckinghamshire side.”