“When you form a rugby team I was told to expect to lose the first game 100 nil and then the next game 50 nil.
“in that sense we have broken the mold a bit because it’s gone really well.”

Chris Bates has been in charge of the Salford Red Devils Women’s team since November and overseen what has been an incredible start to their inaugural campaign.

“We’re miles ahead of where I thought we would be.

“We’ve played eight games and only lost one and that’s all down to the players attitudes.

“This group is special because they have such a strong bond and believe in each other which has helped us get out of some tight spots.”

The group of girls which have been pulled together all came with varying levels of experience playing rugby league with some players only even playing union and others having never picked up a ball.

For Chris this was a challenge which he approached head on and wanted to concentrate on the basics to give the girls the best opportunity to compete in every game.

“We wanted to focus on our core principles that set the girls up to compete on every game such as our defence like line speed and making sure bodies are in front for contact.

If you love playing here then we will get the best out of them because we’ll give them the same effort they give us.”

With the recent Women’s Challenge Cup final being on BBC the game is continuing to grow and this group of women have a platform to show their skills and highlight the high quality of the women’s game. Coach Chris hopes his girls can reach that same level in the not so distant future.

“You look at the Challenge cup final just gone it was on the BBC which is fantastic.

“When we started our goal was to pull together a team who loved playing and that would do themselves and the badge proud, we are well ahead of hat goal now and I think we are in a position to compete for spot in the Super League.

“If you told me that in November I would have laughed at you.”


Chris and the Salford women’s team next game is against Hull KR at Craven Cottage on Sunday 22nd May

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