Get your kit off! :: Wessex Scene Online

Get your kit off!

10th November 2007
Simon Webb

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Dec 06 - Netball a bunch of basketcases?
May 03 - Surf's up in Newquay
Oct 07 - A Cheerocracy?
Oct 07 - Horseplay in the AU
Dec 07 - What went so badly wrong?

More by Simon Webb

Picture for me if you will, your stereotypical women’s rugby player. Give it a second, let that image bed in a bit. Now picture her naked.

I’m betting you are probably uncomfortable about the prospect of going to bed with that image in mind. Those in the know however cannot wait for the new Southampton University Women’s Rugby Football Club calendar to come out, and they will happily go to bed with the aforementioned image in mind!

This Christmas, the women’s rugby team will be up there with the Hollyoaks girls, Kylie Minogue and Girls Aloud for top calendar sales in Southampton. Under the careful guidance of the Venus like Lucy Shipley, she and the ladies bared all in an effort to raise Ł900 for their club and chosen charity.

Asked about the calender, Shipley spoke a great deal of sense: "The cost will be Ł5 per calendar, which is fantastic value for 12 months of Wessex nudity!"

Those who were on tour to Salou last year will fondly recall the sight of the women’s rugby girls kitted out in School uniforms and if you poke your head into Jesters any given Wednesday you may literally get a sneak peak of the flesh shown in the calendar!

Despite early nerves the girls enjoyed the photo shoot immensely and all brought ideas to the shoot as well as using the photographer’s wealth of experience to produce some steamy shots. Alumni, Hannah Vernon said: ‘It was weird not knowing where to look, but after a few hours noone fluttered an eyelid!"

The club itself is expanding well and is enjoying Rugby’s status as the fastest growing sport for women in the UK. The team have gone from strength to strength and now boast 30 members. The girls take their sport very seriously; hours spent in the gym and on the pitch training have clearly benefited the team immensely as they look to continue their assault on BUSA. The girls are also looking to develop their 7s team after enjoying the Wessex Ladies 7s tournament last season.

The calendar will be available online and at the Union Concourse.

soton.ac.uk/~wrugby/