Chester RUFC has a thriving women’s section, and our senior women’s team is called the Devas. The Devas have been in quite a transitional phase this season with changes to both the coaching and playing staff. Hard work has seen progression from a tough start to the season to a change in fortunes for the team, with victories in our last 3 outings.

When the Devas returned for preseason, they found themselves bereft of quite a few of their, shall we say, more experienced players, including captain Sally Conyers. The coaching team of Tiff Hubbard and Brendan O’Malley moved quickly to put a new leadership team in place, appointing Katy Gittins as the new captain and to be ably supported by two Vice Captains in Jamie Stanton and Katie Moore. Unfortunately, Jamie had injured her shoulder playing for Cheshire. Although she tried to rehab and take part in some of the preseason work, she was forced to admit defeat and seek an operation ruling her out for the season. Katie was also missing for long periods as Sale Sharks had snapped her up, and she played a few games for them in the Premier 15s Cup.

As preseason was coming towards its natural conclusion with S&C coach Ryan Foulks the coaching team was completed by the naturally svelte figure of Ian “Butties” Morris from North Wales club Llangollen. With his arrival, there came an added bonus of a number of players joining him from his former club and thus bolstering the number of players available for selection to an impressive forty-three. Of these, probably about twenty-six are seen on a regular basis.
The season got underway, with the Devas facing the two favourites for promotion in their first two games. Away to Halifax in which they lost 24 – 7 and at home to Southport, losing 15 – 19, a game they had opportunities to take the win but lacked the belief in their own ability, and the chance of victory was lost.

Chester then travelled to Eccles, and another game they should have, could have won, but they threw it away to lose 24 – 19. The big difference now was the self-belief was back in the squad, and their next game was at home to old rivals Broughton Park, who had beaten Eccles in an earlier league game. However, at Fortress Hare Lane they were no match for the rejuvenated Devas, with the home team running out 54 – 0 winners.
Then on to the most recent game, an away trip to the Isle of Man, who are rarely beaten at home. With the flight out of Manchester at 7.00am it was an early start for the girls with some of the North Wales Ladies having to leave at 3.30am to be at the airport on time - now that is dedication. But it was all worth it with captain Katy Gittins securing a great victory with a penalty in the dying moments to win 17 – 20.
So, a bit of a rollercoaster season thus far, but the team continue to work hard and is progressing under a dedicated coaching team, and everyone is looking forward to the second half of the season.