Sixteen women played the first ever full contact rugby matches in Cyprus last Saturday, marking a milestone for the sport on the island as Cyprus Rugby pushes to field a women’s team in international competition by 2027, according to a press release by Cyprus Rugby.
The matches took place on 4 April at the AEL Limassol Rugby home ground during the third round of the men’s Cyprus Rugby 7s Championship, drawing a large crowd. Seven of the 16 players are eligible to represent Cyprus and will attend the first women’s training camp at Eton Manor Rugby Club in England on 2 May, where they will be joined by women from the Cypriot diaspora.
“I am extremely proud of these girls and how far they have come in such a short time,” said Christy Yiannoudes, Cyprus Women’s Team Manager. “Today was a historic moment not only for Cyprus Rugby but for women’s sport in Cyprus. I am confident this team can go on to match the achievement of the men’s team in establishing themselves as competitors within Rugby Europe competitions.”
Dave Lee, Cyprus Rugby’s Development Officer, said the matches were the result of months of training. “This is a project we at Cyprus Rugby have been working on for some time and we saw today as an opportunity to showcase months of training to highlight that rugby is a game for everyone and that you can play the game irrespective of your age, size or skill level,” he said.
Among the players was Christina Charalambous, who joined AEL Limassol Women in August 2025 and has set her sights on representing Cyprus internationally. “I am so happy to have been part of this today and I achieved my goal of scoring a try and making some tackles,” she said. “The opportunity to represent Cyprus in sport internationally is amazing and one I intend to pursue fully.”
The team has been coached by Steve Wrigglesworth, Women’s Coach at AEL Limassol Rugby.
Women in Cyprus interested in taking up rugby can contact Development Officer Dave Lee at [email protected] or on WhatsApp at +357 97 773836.
Women from the Cypriot Diaspora interested in joining the national team effort can contact Team Manager Christy Yiannoudes at [email protected].
