PENRYN RFC have announced a brand new all female coaching team for their growing ladies’ section.

Donna Darby has been appointed as head coach and will be supported by assistant player coach Bexx O’Reilly, in the first all female senior coaching team in the club’s history. 

Donna, a former player with Penryn Ladies and previously the assistant coach for the last two seasons, has extensive playing experience from various clubs in the Duchy. She has also had county honours and coaching duties with age grade and senior sides before arriving at Penryn.

Bexx, who came to Penryn Ladies at the beginning of this season, also has extensive playing and coaching experience from across the UK.

Playing for clubs across Ireland, Wales and England has helped develop her knowledge of the game, while in a professional capacity Bexx has honed her coaching skills in various roles in the sport and coaching sector including roles with Munster, Cardiff and several male and female university sides.

She has recently been appointed as the new sports academies coordinator at Truro College, showing the calibre of her coaching talent.

The club’s appointment of an all female coaching team for the ladies’ section is just one way that shows its commitment to women’s rugby. Donna is not the first female head coach at the club, with Tiffany Honeychurch currently heading up the new girls’ section.

Penryn also offers equality for its ladies’ players across all aspects, including access to pitches and changing facilities, kit and equipment, transport to away matches, post match refreshments and dedicated quality coaches.

The new female head coach will sit on the main club committee, continuing the presence the ladies section has built up over the last two season. Plans are also underway to erect honours boards for the womens’ section in the Penryn clubhouse, with the names of every ladies captain from its creation to present day.

The club also have the first ever women’s second team in the county, training alongside the first team to increase the opportunities for women to play rugby locally and across Cornwall.