Under the floodlights at Warlingham Rugby Club on a Wednesday night, the mud is flying and the laughter is loud. A year ago, there was no women's team here. Now there are the Wildcats.

The side was born from a single match. In March 2026, an alumni team of returning former players took on Haywards Heath Women and won. More than 200 supporters lined the touchline, and many of the women watching decided they wanted to be out there themselves.

"We invited back lots of previous players from the club, tried to reconnect with people who had moved around over the years, and brought them all back into a team for the day," said Hayley Sasserath, Wildcats captain and Warlingham's Ladies and Girls Chairlady. "We won, and I think that inspired a lot of people. It really encouraged a lot of women who were stood on the sidelines, saying, 'I think, actually, I could probably give that a go.'"

From a thrown-together team to a squad

For head coach Scott Toomey, the result was all the more remarkable given the preparation. "We started off with an alumni game at the end of the season with a thrown-together team and only two practice sessions," he said. "The ladies did magnificently to take the win against Haywards Heath."

The response was so enthusiastic that the club decided to act. "We had such an enthusiastic response that we decided to run some summer training to capture the momentum," Toomey said. "This has grown into a strong bond between coaches and players, making a squad worthy of pulling on the Warly colours."

What began as a summer fitness group is now 25 paid-up registered players, with 22 to 25 turning up to train in a typical week. "We didn't know we were going to be in that position," said Sasserath. "It's nice that we have got there." The faces change from week to week, which she sees as a strength. "This team has morphed around mums, so we get different levels of commitment every week. But we're still getting high numbers, which means people are making it a priority to take that time out of their day to come."

About 75 per cent of the squad had never picked up a rugby ball. Most are mums inspired by watching their children at the club, with others drawn from elsewhere, including players who have crossed over from other clubs. "Most of it has been internal recruitment, which has been pretty good," Sasserath said. "And I still think there are pockets of potential in the club that we've not hit yet. We're only growing."

"A breath of fresh air"

The coaching group of Scott, Matt, Chris, Jon and Jonny normally work with the U15s and U16s. They are far from sideline observers: several of the coaches are still active players themselves, turning out for the club's 2nd XV on top of their duties with the junior age groups. That keeps them on the pulse of the modern game, and means the advice they give the Wildcats comes from current experience of the contact, the tactics and the demands of match day.

They say the Wildcats have been a revelation.

"Coaching the girls is a breath of fresh air," said Toomey. "We have such a wide variety of skill levels, but everyone is super keen and listens to every detail we share. We are progressing so well that soon we embark on some proper games, where I'm sure our awesome Wildcats will go from strength to strength."

He was quick to credit the people around him. "The coaching team we have assembled has years of experience to fall back on, and with Hayley keeping us all in line, I expect great things for the future of women's rugby at Warlingham."

Chris Short called the project "one of the most enjoyable and exciting" he had been involved in. Jonny Hudson, who has 35 years of playing and ten of coaching at the club behind him, said the squad's "progress, attentiveness and willingness to learn has been fantastic."

Sasserath said the speed of progress has surprised even her. "They're picking it up much quicker than I did, to be honest. Passing and catching can take kids years to develop. When we started in April and May, we couldn't throw them into a touch game without a heavy amount of support. Now we're throwing them into a contact game and they need no instruction. They love the contact. They're upset when they don't get contact in a session now."

The biggest eye-opener for the coaches, she said, has been how quickly the women take things in. "Right at the beginning we would have to explain things two or three times. Now they've got it first time." The difference, she believes, is choice. "With youth, they're being brought by their parents. At the moment we've got 25 women who are showing up for themselves, who want to be part of something. When they get their boots on and get on the pitch, they're listening and they're ready to go."

"Best night of the week"

For the players, the appeal is simple.

"Loads of us have never played before. It doesn't matter, we've got great coaches," said Katie Kelly, whose 11-year-old son and six-year-old daughter both play at the club. "There's no pressure. Absolutely love it. Best night of the week."

Caralyn Miller, a mother of four who has also started helping coach the U7s, said: "Wow, I wish I had started years ago. I love the contact, but I just want to get into a game and get going."

Lizzy Elms, who had played only touch before this season, summed up the spirit of the group: "It's about being part of the team, having a fantastic runaround, getting a bit muddy and a bit aggressive in a good way, and just laughing with everybody. Contact is completely new to me and I'm loving it."

Emily Harland O'Connor, who first tried rugby at Exeter University, pointed to the bonds forming around the rapid progress. "We had girls who hadn't even touched a ball and now they're doing full contact in training, and that's only two or so months from nothing. When you're putting your body on the line for each other, it's a different level of respect."

The group also includes players with sporting pedigree in other codes. Emma O'Sullivan, who played for Arsenal in football as a teenager, joined for fitness and has never looked back. "It's like a family. They're very welcoming, and it's just great fun. I love the contact and using your hands, which you don't get in football."

Riding the Red Roses wave

Sasserath believes the timing is no accident. "Women's rugby is a very quick-growing sport. England are in the absolute prime of the sport at the moment, and it's inspiring for people at the club. We've fluctuated in terms of women's and girls' rugby over the years, and now we're really capitalising on the growth the World Cup, and the Red Roses as a whole, are creating."

Her own journey makes the moment personal. She began playing "almost on a whim" when a friend invited her along, at a time when, as she put it, the mindset around women's rugby "hadn't really shifted towards acceptance yet." Warlingham gave her opportunities she might never otherwise have had, from training with Harlequins to watching internationals at The Stoop, when women's matches were played in front of a single stand.

"Someone putting me in front of an international game was enough to make me realise what could be possible," she said. "Now, with the momentum the Red Roses have built through their World Cup and Six Nations campaigns, we are in a completely different place. It's finally becoming cool to be a female rugby player, and I think we have a real responsibility to capitalise on that at grassroots level."

Seeing the club's women's and girls' section photo arrive on WhatsApp left her emotional. "It's amazing to see what happens when you put it out there. Our vice captain had no association with the club until April. We put that team out there and she came because she wanted to be part of something that looked amazing."

The club's social media has helped spread the word, and the new players have thrown themselves into club life. "They're getting involved with socials, doing car boot sales, helping out around the club," said Sasserath. "They've formed the kind of community they might not have been getting from other clubs."

Looking ahead

The Wildcats' first match is scheduled for 8 November against local club Farnham, when they will pull on the club's light blue and white hoops. Sasserath hopes it is the first step towards entering a league next season. "I didn't want to jump the gun and do that this season, because I didn't know where we'd be in terms of progress. We just wanted to make sure we could build that skill set before we were thrown in too early."

Club Chairman Chris Cave said the team is part of a wider revival. "Rugby is undergoing a resurgence across the board at Warlingham this season," he said. "It is with particular pleasure that we have seen the formation of a diverse and super-enthusiastic group of women." With strong numbers of girls in the U7 to U10 age groups, he hopes the Wildcats will become role models, and that girls-only teams from U12 upwards can eventually return.

For Sasserath, the real prize is what lies beneath the results. "Warlingham are building a community for women's rugby. They're not just building a team. It's the bonds we're forming, and people wanting to volunteer and help make the club better. That is unique to other clubs. I've played in various teams over the years, at different levels, and I've never had a community like I've had at Warlingham. That's why I came back."

Want to join?

The Wildcats welcome new players aged 18 or close to it, of every shape, size and fitness level, with no experience needed. Bring boots, a mouth guard and a bit of courage.

Training: Wednesday evenings, 19:30, Warlingham Rugby Club

Come on down. Get involved. Get muddy. Get wild.

Upcoming Matches

Purley John Fisher 2nd XV