Ilkeston Rugby Club Women & Girls Section

30/03/2026

From the Stute to the Six Nations! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏉

We are bursting with pride today at Ilkeston RUFC as we celebrate one of our own!

Huge congratulations to Kendall Waudby on her selection for the Wales Women’s 2026 Six Nations squad!

It feels like only yesterday that Kendall was running around at The Stute as a determined Ilkeston Minis player. Even back then, her work ethic and passion for the game were clear to everyone. Her journey from our local pitches to the elite level is a testament to years of hard work.

Starting her rugby journey right here at Ilkeston, then moving on to achieve a National Cup final and selection into Loughborough Lightning Centre of Excellence. Moving through the Loughborough Lightning pathway, Kendall made her professional debut in 2021 and has became a powerhouse in the Premiership and now earned her place on the international stage with Wales.

Kendall, the entire club is behind you. You’re a massive inspiration to every young player currently pulling on an Ilkeston shirt, It just goes to show with enough heart and hard work, you can go all the way!

Give it everything, Kendall! We’ll be cheering the loudest from the clubhouse. 💪🏉

Let's go Elks 💚🤍💙
Let's go Impalas 💚🩷💙

24/03/2026

U12 Impalas Shine at the NLD Festival in Lincoln! 🏉

It was a massive shift from our wandering U12 Impalas this past Sunday! On the firm, fast pitches at Lincoln, the girls put in a long, hard fought day of rugby, showing incredible grit from the first whistle to the last.
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Teaming up with Newark U12s for three tough matches, the Impalas started with high intensity. They dominated the contact areas and displayed clinical teamwork to come out on top in their first two games.
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Following a well deserved and perhaps a bit too energetic, break on the inflatables, the girls’ legs were a little heavier for the final round. Despite the dip in energy, they fought until the very end, narrowly coming up short in a closely contested third game.
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A huge shoutout to the entire squad for staying right in the thick of the action all day. Beyond their physical presence on the pitch, their sportsmanship and support for one another was a highlight of the festival. They are proving to be fantastic teammates in every sense of the word.

Well done girls, we are all incredibly proud of you!

Let's go impalas! 💚💙🩷💪🏉

08/03/2026

Match Report: NLD U14 Girls Bowl Final

U14 Lincolnshire Valkyries 36 - 19 Ilkeston Impalas U14 Girls.
The scoreboard only tells half the story!

A tale of two halves. After a bruising first half pinned in our own 22, the Impalas staged a ferocious comeback that pushed a physical Valkyries side to the absolute limit and showed what a cornered Impala can do 💪

The Challenge: Facing a physical, older U14s side and a 24-0 deficit at halftime.

The Turnaround: A masterclass in "never say die" attitude. We dominated the second half, managed the officials with maturity, and fought back to within five points (24-19) with minutes to spare.

The Takeaway: We rattled a tough team. Even though we leaked two late tries while chasing the game, the grit and heart displayed was first class.

I am immensely proud of every girl who pulled on the green, pink, and blue today. You didn't just play a game, you played for the badge and for each other.

Thanks to the parents and coaches for all the support and hard work 👍

Let's go impalas 💚🩷💙🏉

07/03/2026

The Ilkeston Impalas Rugby Fixtures 🏉

Under 12s team up with Newark to face Leicester Forest in an away fixture that is set to be a great display of rugby.

Under 14s are away at Lincoln Rugby Club as they compete in the final of the NLD Bowl against the Lincolnshire Valkyries.

Good luck to everyone playing tomorrow.
Let's go impalas 💪🏉💚🩷💙

01/03/2026

01/03/2026

01/03/2026

Ilkeston Impalas Under 12’s hosting a great day of girls rugby today with
Dinnington RUFC Girls Newark Rugby Club Women & Girls Dronfield RUFC Girls Loughborough RFC girls

28/02/2026

Sunday 1st March Fixtures for our Girls section.

U12 Girls - being joined by our friends at Dinnington RUFC Girls rugby and Dronfield Rugby are now playing at Derby Rugby Club due to the weather.

U14 Girls - Match at Lincoln has been cancelled. The U14s will now train at 1pm on gallows playing fields.

Good luck to all, Let's go impalas 💚🩷💙

23/02/2026

Some of our Girls section representing at the Loughborough Lightning v Bristol Bears match yesterday 💪💚🩷💙🏉

08/02/2026

Long Eaton U14 Girls vs. Ilkeston Impalas U14 Girls | NLD Cup

A tough day at the office. This local derby is a special one for the Impalas, Long Eaton was our first ever home game, and it’s been amazing to watch both teams evolve over the years. We’ve seen wins, losses, and draws in the past, but today showcased just how much the game is changing.
Long Eaton showed great development, moving away from their usual "pick and go" style to a structured wide game. However, our focus lately has been on tackling and defensive grit, and that showed in today's match. In fact, the Long Eaton coaching staff said it was some of the toughest tackling and contact they’ve faced all season. That is a massive testament to the girls hard work!
Don’t let the scoreboard dictate your mood. Success isn’t just a set of numbers, it’s about executing what we do in training under pressure. You played real rugby today. Even the world’s best teams have their peaks and troughs, it’s the journey and the teammates beside you that matter.
Rest up, recover, and let’s keep building this incredible girls' section.
Let’s go Impalas! 💚🩷💙💪🏉

31/01/2026

The inaugural Howden British & Irish Lions Women’s Tour will take place in New Zealand in September 2027, marking a historic milestone after 137 years of the men’s team. The tour will feature three Test matches against the Black Ferns and additional games, starting in Whangārei and concluding in Christchurch.

Time to start training to become future Lions 💪🏉