The Berkshire mum looking to encourage others into rugby

The co-founder of a rugby club for women who have had children said the sport was ideal for new mothers who want to stay active.

Annette Bevan, a mother of two who currently plays for Reading Abbey RFC, is one of the coordinators of the Maa Maas club.

He has around 920 mums following his Facebook page and around 150 signed up to play matches, including one which will take place in Newcastle in April.

“You have to carve out that time,” she said of new moms. “You need to go and do something you love, whether it’s rugby or another hobby or interest.

“I think you become a better mom again to your kids and your family after you create that space for yourself.”

Bevan said England star and mother Abbie Ward was an inspiration after the country’s World Cup victory in September.

Ward carried his daughter Hallie onto the pitch at Twickenham after the win over Canada.

“Moms everywhere, we’ve formed a little community,” Bevan said. “Everyone is so helpful.

“They just want to help each other, give each other advice, share their experiences and we are united by the fact that we have all been through childbirth, pregnancy and we all want to come back and stay active.”

“I want to continue to inspire. I want to connect with other mums on my platform and even if you’re not a mum, I want to start getting women involved in rugby.

“It’s a great time to try our sport. It’s truly one of the best communities you can be a part of.”

The former Henley and Bracknell player, who also played for Ireland, said: “The community game is where my heart is. I always knew I wanted to continue playing rugby after I had children.

“It’s a big passion of mine. I think there’s always that unknown as to whether you’ll start doing this physical activity again.

“But showing my kids that I can continue to be physically active and do something that I really love is really important to me.”

After launching her postpartumrugbymum Instagram page four years ago, she said some clubs had made “great strides” in making facilities more accessible, such as introducing breastfeeding spaces and changing tables in toilets.

“You might think it’s something small, but a lot of clubs are still behind on this. It’s about breaking down those barriers and ensuring places are available for mums,” she added.