HISTORY will be made this weekend as the first game of women’s contact rugby for Keswick is set to be held at the club.

Keswick RFC was founded in 1879, and the match will be the first in the club’s 140 year history that a women’s team will play contact rugby union at the club.

The Falcons women’s team first began their contact training in 2021 and hope the game this weekend will be the first of many yet to come.

The women are trained by coaches Ben Pepper and Dean Robinson.

Ben said: “We are looking forward to the match. We started doing contact this time last year and the women were all really welcoming to the idea of wanting to play contact.

“We are all ready and really excited for this weekend.”

The game will be a historic moment for the club.

Ben said: "I think it’s massive (for the club).

"Not many clubs can boast that they have a contact women’s team. More women are going into rugby and I just think it’s great that the women of Keswick have the opportunity to do this if they want to do.”

Twenty-two-year-old Molly Coldham, who works as a paramedic, joined the team when they were playing touch rugby and is enjoying the contact side of the game.

Molly will play number 6 in this weekend's match.

She said: “It’s been great to start playing contact rugby at the club and I am really proud to be a part of the team in this historic moment for the club.

“We’ve all worked really hard to get to this moment and are looking forward to hosting Penrith this Sunday at the ground.

“Big thanks must to coach Ben and coach Dean who have worked really hard to help us – they have been absolutely committed to making the Falcons a success.”

The match against Penrith women’s team will kick off this Sunday, February 20 at 2pm.