Germany reforms its women’s test team

Germany were the 11th country to play field a women's test team when they played their first test match, against Sweden, in 1989. They went on to play in two World Cups, in 1998 and 2002, but in 2010 played their final test when the DRV - the German Rugby Union - decided to put all of their efforts into Sevens with the aim of qualifying for the Olympics.

It was an ambitious target - some would say too ambitious - for a team that had only once featured top four of European Sevens, the realistic minimum requirement for making any Games. It was also an unpopular decision for women rugby players in Germany, where the top clubs tend to play fifteens.

Germany has more club players than Netherlands, Belgium or Scotland and in recent years unofficial "national" teams have played internationals against teams such as Switzerland, with some success. The recently-published World Rugby Women's Rankings put Germany in 19th place - ahead of 2015 European Trophy winners Belgium - another reminder of the heritage and potential a German women's test XV has.

The statement issued today (21st April) by the DRV says:

"The Bureau of the German Rugby Association (DRV) on April 16 in Heidelberg has, at the request of the German Women's Rugby (DRF), unanimously decided to rebuild the 15s national women's team. This is initially limited to two years, and will then be reviewed to be draw conclusions about the team's performance and affordability. The organization of the national team has been transferred to the DRF. The women's organization within the DRV will initially take responsibility for the operation the national 15s team.

The goal for this period is the development of the basis of a competitive squad capable of successful participation in international competitions. The national team will begin a regular playing programme in 2016, with the aim to award its first caps in the autumn 2016.

In the next few weeks the DRV and the DRF will meet to appoint the management and coaching staff of the national team."

From their announcement DRV/DRF appear to be aiming to re-enter test rugby in the Europe's World Cup Qualification tournament, which will be a huge ask. The competition is expected to take place in Spain in the Autumn with the winner playing Scotland for a place in the 2017 World Cup and is already expected to include a minimum of Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Russia - teams who have been playing regularly for some years.

Nonetheless this is a hugely positive announcement, but we hope that the DRV are realistic about what can be achieved in such a short time - and certainly more realistic than they were with their sevens team. For all their potential, Germany are simply not going to win a tournament between now and 2018. Two years is not long, and it is likely that there will be only one Rugby Europe tournament within the review period, apart from the World Cup qualifier, meaning that it is unlikely to mean more than six competitive test matches will be played (if that) - which is very few to work out their best team and turn potential into results. They may hope to arrange some friendly tests as well, but if they have a word with Spanish and Scottish management teams they will learn how incredibly difficult this to achieve.

The DRV will be perhaps aiming to improve their ranking, but even that will be a tough ask as none of the European teams currently above them in the rankings who they could realistically hope to beat currently play test rugby. Maintaining their 19th place into 2018 will be a huge achievement and the DRV will have to realise that. A European Trophy-winning (or World Cup qualifiying) team is not built in just two years.