Rugby club owner says rival match ‘wasn’t for girls’ sparking backlash online

A Welsh rugby club has apologised for a now-deleted social media post that said its upcoming derby match was ‘definitely not for girls.’

Neath RFC, published a promotional post for their Premiership derby game with rivals Llangennech RFC on social media, with the caption ‘#NotforGirls’.

It said: ‘This one isn’t for the faint hearted, this one isn’t for the half-committed, this one is definitely NOT FOR GIRLS.’

In a follow up post the club that is more than 150-years-old said: ‘Forget the noise. Forget the outrage. Let’s talk about real change.’

The owner of the club, Matty Young, said the post was an attempt to prompt discussion about ‘the casual misogyny that still exists in parts of rugby’, he told the BBC.

But he has since said his future at the club is now uncertain after the backlash from the posts.

The post has caused controversy online and the Neath owner has faced a massive backlash (Picture: Wales News Service)

MP for Swansea East, Carolyn Harris, was among the crowds of people upset by the posts and said she was ‘very disappointed’ after hearing about the incident.

She told Metro: ‘We have come so far in promoting and supporting women and girls in all sport, so this derogatory stunt was thoughtless, inappropriate and insulting.’

Nicknamed ‘The Welsh All Blacks’, Neath RFC play in Wales’ top flight Indigo Premiership. 

Neath RFC whose previous players include stars such as Shane Williams and Jonathan Davies posted the advert on social media (Picture: Wales News Service)

Neath also runs a Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) sanctioned female hub for women in rugby, Neath Panthers. 

The women’s team aims to provide a positive, inclusive environment for girls to become engaged in rugby through fun, quality coaching whilst also offering pathways to play at elite level.

More than 5000 girls and women across Wales registered with a female hub club last season – the highest number since the programme’s inception in 2015.

The removed social media posts sparked outrage from sportspeople, politicians, fans and members of the community. 

This included former Wales women’s rugby team captain, Siwan Lillicap, who said on X: ‘terrible campaign…ignorant, inappropriate and unacceptable.’

She also joined calls for the post to be removed.

Carl Dennis said: ‘Absolute shambles, just after international women’s day. Just as the women’s 6 Nations kicks off, and in a World Cup year.’

Claire Nokeokouman said: ‘My blood is black and I have to say I’ve never been so ashamed.’

Following intervention by the WRU on Monday, the posts were deleted from Neath’s social media account, and an apology was published across their social media on Tuesday night.

The club has now apologised for the post online (Picture: Wales News Service)

A WRU spokesperson said: ‘We asked Neath to remove the post as soon as possible and of course do not condone the sentiment it contained.’

In the apology, Neath RFC owner Matty Young said: ‘I sincerely apologise for any offence caused. That was never my intention and in no way reflects any attitudes within Neath RFC.’

He explained the intention of the post was to champion rugby playing women representing Neath and ‘shine a light on the casual misogyny which still exists in parts of rugby’.

Andrea Smart, General Manager at Ebbw Vale rugby said: ‘It wasn’t a great comment to make, whatever the intention. It didn’t land well.’

On the role of encouraging women in rugby, she said all teams have a ‘responsibility to represent the entire community.’

‘You’ve got to be very mindful of the way you do that…I expect they’ve learnt a lesson’ she added. 

Reactions to the apology from Neath’s fanbase and local community remain divided. 

Some in the community have defended the club and been supportive of their steps to apologise.

Helen Lewis replied to the Facebook post and said: ‘You have apologised and hopefully Neath will win more games as that is what we all have in common, the love of rugby.’

Andrew Jenkins agreed and said: ‘While apologising isn’t easy, you’ve stood up, taken responsibility and done the right thing here.’

However, many have criticised the apology’s authenticity and are concerned about the attitudes to women represented by those within the club and its fanbase.

Rhianna Williams said: ‘That “apology” can never undo how damaging the original post or the comments across the many news articles related to that post are to the women’s sport.’

Christian Davies said: ‘Do a post which is massively last century and then come out with the b******* that it was designed to spark debate. Just digging the hole even deeper.’

‘It just reeks of a half hearted disingenuous apology.’

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