Following their participation in the recent Las Vegas 7s, the German women’s rugby side are aiming to boost playing numbers in their country. With a relatively small playing pool, Germany compete sporadically on the international stage but are hoping that upcoming European competitions will allow them to boost their exposure in the years ahead. We talked to Marina Apfel and Jana Eisenbeiß - the co-captains of the national 7s side.
(Pic: The German squad in Las Vegas)
Give us a snapshot of the women’s game in Germany.
Marina Apfel: “In Germany, women’s rugby is played in three leagues and there are five teams from all over Germany who play 15 aside rugby in the 1st League -about 200 players). In the second League seven teams with about 100 players play 10 a-side rugby and there are regional 7s leagues."
Jana Eisenbeiß: “Sevens and 10s are played a lot to give the teams an opportunity to play, as most teams do not have that many players. A new series of 7s tournaments - called the Super 7s Series – was established last year, which is open for all teams and was created to support 7s rugby on a higher level. Germany has a 15s and Sevens national team, however, most of the 7s players are also in the 15s team squad.”
What competitions does the national team take part in?
Jana Eisenbeiß: “Last year, in 2009, we played at the Amsterdam 7s and the European Cup in Hannover. We also took part in the tournaments of the Super 7s Series. This year we added the Las Vegas Sevens to the program and we hope that there will be more tournaments on a higher level in the future.”
Is 7s more important than the 15 aside game right now in Germany?
Marina Apfel: “Overall, 15s rugby still has a higher standard, as it is played in the 1st League. Most of the German 7s teams play that form because they are limited by the number of players. Clubs that play 15s usually have a longer history and more resources as well as good coaches.Our national coach Susanne Wiedemann founded the “German women’s 7s rugby academy” about a year ago, which allows players to come together and practice once a month. This is a good platform for everyone who wants to improve their skills and especially for underage players.”
How do you expect to do at the Las Vegas Sevens?
Jana Eisenbeiß: “Before we didn’t really know what to expect, as we had never played against any of these teams. In any case, we wanted to present us well and show that we also play good rugby in Germany. We had a preparation week in Las Vegas prior to the tournament, where we developed our skills and worked hard to improve our game. The first and second game (USA White & China) were somewhat satisfactory, even if we couldn’t implement everything we had developed the week before. The last two games (France & USA Blue) were rather disappointing for us. We know that we can do better than what we showed in these two games. And our goal for the European Cup in July is to do better in every game of the tournament.”
What are your strengths?
Marina Apfel: “Definitely team spirit! And we know each other very well on the pitch. The sevens rugby academy gives us the chance to meet up and practice together for a weekend every month.”
What are the objectives for women’s rugby in Germany in the years ahead?
Jana Eisenbeiß: “A big, long-term objective is the participation at the Olympic games in 2016 in Rio. But first of all we are eager to establish our position in Europe. And we definitely are working hard to take part in the World Cup in 2013, on our way to Rio.”
