West Harbour Pirates, former Wallaroo chasing women to reinvigorate rugby program

She’s a former Wallaroo with big goals for women - including seeing female players at her famous old club eventually put on paid contracts.

The West Harbour Pirates are on a mission to attract women to the club.

Charmain Steventon has big ambitions for the club she played for as a youngster but her immediate goal is attracting new blood to the West Harbour Pirates.

The former Wallaroos and board member at the Pirates is part of a club mission to resurrect and revitalise the women’s program and re-engage women to rugby

The call is now out for women in the west - and other areas of Sydney - to come to West Harbour and try their hand at Rugby Sevens.

Steventon with the Wallaroos.

“We have only run two sessions and 15 girls turned up so there is definitely interest there,’’ said Steventon, the club’s director of women’s rugby.

“I am involved in touch so we will bring a few players across as well. We are starting from scratch. We want to build a bank of talent.’’

Steventon said a team of recruitment offices has been assembled with calls put out on social media in the hope of attracting new women to the club.

The first step of the rebuild is to put together a Sevens side and then re-enter a women’s XV’s team in the Jack Scott Cup competition in 2023.

“We are starting from scratch. We just need to re-engage,’’ Steventon said.

“There is talent out there and we have good people at the club already.’’

West Harbour playing Eastern Suburbs in the 2020 Shute Shield.

Steventon, who joined the club as a player in 2001 and won five premierships in eight seasons, said players from across the board - including touch, rugby league, soccer and athletics - are all welcome.

“We can teach people how to tackle. We want them to be part of this community,’’ she said.

“This is one of the oldest clubs in the country. My story started here at West Harbour. It’s why I want to come back.’’

“My aim is to put these girls on contact in the future without a doubt.’’

The Sydney Rugby Union last year made it mandatory for all Shute Shield clubs to have a women’s XV’s team in the Jack Scott Cup by 2023.