A local rugby club have agreed to host a weekly girls-only tag rugby team after a group of mums pressed for a league to be set up.

Actress and mother-of-four Jackie Clune, 47, of Dangan Road, was inspired to set up the team after her 10-year-old daughter Saoirse Hannant-Clune decided contact rugby with boys was not for her.

Training sessions are now in full swing every Sunday at Eton Manor Rugby Club, Wanstead, with coach Ian Welch agreeing to train the group of nine and ten year-olds.

Mrs Clune said: “We now have training sessions every week and have a good number of girls coming each time, although we are still looking to get ten in order to do a 5-a-side.

“We are also looking at getting sponsorship from Lexus in the upcoming months.”

Ms Clune’s other children, triplets Thady, Frank and Orla, 8, all play in the club’s successful under-9s’ contact rugby team, originally a boys-only team.

She is keen to abolish female rugby player stereotypes.

She said: “I am a bit of a feminist and do not generally believe that men and women are essentially that different, but it does get to a point where they grow up and boys get a little more boisterous.

“I am really happy for my youngest daughter to play contact rugby in a boys’ team and to join the girls’ team when she decides she wants to, but I generally don’t think they need to be separated.

“Playing rugby is great for the girls and really builds their confidence.

“Female rugby players are seen as rough or butch but the girls are all lovely and are really enjoying it.