The Shaw’s Bridge club had to concede Saturday’s All Ireland League game against UL Boh’s because they didn’t have enough numbers to travel to Limerick, while other matches in the league have also not taken place this season due to sides not being able to field teams. Cooke’s Sorcha Mac Laimhin explained the importance of the new programme. “One of the things that we have really struggled with at Cooke this year has been our second XV playing numbers, we have had to rely on some of our second-team players to bolster the firsts who are playing in the All Ireland League,” she said. “So, what has happened is our second XV has been basically decimated, we have lost players that don’t want to play All Ireland League level, they want to play Championship A. "So we haven’t been able to field a second XV since the second week of the season back in October. “One of the things that we have come up with to try and resolve this is is a programme called ‘Touch to Tackle’. “We have received some funding from Royal London through their partnership with the British and Irish Lions Women’s team and they have helped us to develop this programme, which is going to be focused on mums and beginners, people who have never played rugby before, mums that have never played before or want to take rugby back up again. “The idea will be it’s an eight-week non-contact programme which will include an introduction to tackling skills, how to fall safely, what a ruck is and all of that. “It will sort of give participants an introduction to contact rugby before the season starts in July with the clubs running pre-season. “The idea is to try and grow the participation levels and, hopefully, have a second XV ready for the beginning of the 2025/26 season at Cooke.” Mac Laimhin believes if ‘Touch to Tackle’ is successful at Cooke it could go nationwide. “I feel that this is something that could be easily replicated at other clubs,” said Mac Laimhin. “You have seen clubs start touch-only teams and I think there are opportunities there to introduce women to contact rugby as well and giving them that option of both codes.” Mac Laimhin is set to hang her boots up at the end of the current season “I have been so lucky to enjoy a long career,” she said. “I have now been playing rugby longer than I haven’t been playing rugby and I actually love it. “When I became a mum five-and-half years ago it was something that I was relying on to give me a bit of ‘me time’. “You can often lose your identity a bit when you become a mum and it is really important to have something that is just for you...so for me that was rugby. “Speaking to other mums and people who had never played rugby before, it is just one of those games that is for everybody. "There is a place for any shape, size, athletic ability...what you will get from playing rugby is an incredible team environment, friends for life and a sport that you can lose yourself in and really enjoy.” It is easy to sign up for ‘Touch to Tackle’. “We have an Eventbrite page that you can go on and register,” she said. “It has all the information, it starts on 24th March and it will be running across eight sessions up to the end of May.” Visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/touch-to-tackle-rugby-for-mums-beginners-tickets-1077345171409?msockid=14f2c7d7aa10636807acd299ab8f62f6