How Seven Girls Became a Women's Rugby Dynasty
The club's growth represents the success of strategic investment in female rugby participation. Named after England player Sonia "Sonic" Green, the Sonics embody how National Lottery funding creates opportunities for girls and women in rugby, with direct connections to the professional Saracens women's team that has produced England internationals.
Meeting Her Heroes
Nine-year-old Audrey Gassner embodies this transformation. Recently, The National Lottery selected Audrey as a roving reporter to interview members of England's Red Roses at Twickenham - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that reinforced her rugby ambitions and demonstrated the pathways that National Lottery investment has created.
"I asked them how they got into rugby when they were children," recalls Audrey of interviewing the England internationals for The National Lottery. "I also wanted to know what advice they would give me if I was going to be in the Red Roses?"
Training twice weekly at Bramley Road Sports Ground, Audrey represents the next generation of female talent emerging from National Lottery-supported programmes. "The number one thing I enjoy about rugby is all the people. It's a community and everyone's so nice," she explains. "I also like it because it exercises all your muscles, not just your arms or your feet. You get to exercise your legs and your brain."
Building the Foundation
When coach Nash Cohen launched the Sonics in 2022, just seven girls attended the first session. The rapid growth to over 90 members demonstrates how National Lottery investment in women and girls' rugby creates sustainable participation pathways.
"You could tell from her energy levels that she was not going to take any prisoners," Cohen says of Audrey. "I was impressed not just by her physical ability, but also by her attitude and her response to adversity. At the age of six that's rare to find."
The Saracens Foundation's commitment to developing women and girls' rugby dates back over a decade, with the "Saracens Girls Touch Rugby Programme" receiving National Lottery funding from Sport England in 2010. This early investment in female participation has evolved into the comprehensive development pathway that now supports the thriving Sonics programme.
From Grassroots to International Success
The connection between grassroots investment and elite success is exemplified by England international Maggie Alphonsi, who played for Saracens women's team and earned 74 caps including the 2014 World Cup triumph. She credits National Lottery support as fundamental to her development in women's rugby.
"The support it's provided me has been significant. For me, The National Lottery helped my career hugely. It enabled me to be the athlete that I could be," she reflects. "It enabled me to have the training boots, the shorts, the tops, to participate. It gave me the opportunity to feel equal with other players."
Alphonsi's achievements extend beyond playing. She became the first female player to commentate on men's international rugby, was appointed MBE for services to rugby, and became the first England Women's player elected to the Rugby Football Union's Council.
Investment Delivering Results
The impact of targeted investment in women and girls' rugby is clear in the participation figures. Sport England data shows 43,500 women and girls are now RFU registered, representing a 35% increase in registered age-grade girls since 2022. Meanwhile, over 172,000 girls have recently played rugby, compared to 146,000 in 2015.
Sport England is investing £2.43 million specifically in women and girls' rugby programmes as part of its broader £17 million RFU investment, creating the foundation from which clubs like the Sonics recruit and develop female players.
Creating Future Champions
Parent Brandon Gassner describes the transformation in his daughter: "She really loves it and it's given her a sense of community and friendship. The people she mixes with are all just wonderful. She comes back from practice with such positive energy that we feel it's our duty to support her."
The club's growth from seven to over 90 female members demonstrates how strategic National Lottery investment creates sustainable sporting communities focused on developing women and girls in rugby. With teams now competing across Under-10 through to senior women, players are already representing at county level with recent tournament victories showing the competitive progress that targeted investment achieves.
As Audrey trains at Bramley Road, learning to tackle whilst wearing her protective gear, she embodies the success of targeted investment in women and girls' rugby development. The pathway from Sonics training sessions to international rugby remains open for young female players, built on National Lottery foundations that continue to transform opportunities for women and girls in rugby across England.
The transformation reflects three decades of National Lottery commitment to women's sport. Over £6 billion has been invested into grassroots clubs and organisations across more than 90,000 projects, funded by the £30 million National Lottery players raise weekly for good causes across the UK. From early touch rugby programmes to today's comprehensive development pathways, this sustained investment continues to create the champions of tomorrow.
