Bristol Harlequins RFC

In the lead-up to International Women's Day, we’re celebrating the incredible women who help make Bristol Harlequins RFC the club it is today. This time, we caught up with Claire Morgan, our Touch Rugby lead, whose journey from supporter to player to coach has helped create opportunities for women and girls to get involved in rugby at Quins.

A Family Affair

For Claire, rugby isn’t just a sport—it’s a way of life. Her connection with Bristol Harlequins RFC began years ago when she was cheering from the sidelines, supporting her husband Kev, who is now the club’s Chairperson. Fast forward to today, and she still finds herself at the club most weekends—only now, she’s cheering on her three children, all of whom have played for Quins at some point.

"From coming up to cheer from the sidelines watching Kev play years ago, to now cheering on my three most weekends, part of it feels like nothing’s changed—you still get the buzz and the atmosphere several years on. It’s been lovely being able to watch the kids grow up through the years at Quins—the same club as their dad. Even when some of them took a break or moved on, they all started at Bristol Harlequins."

Her daughter, who now plays for Avonmouth Women took her first steps in rugby at Quins, showing just how important the club is as a foundation for young players, regardless of where their journey takes them.

From Player to Leader

Claire’s own playing journey began when Touch Rugby sessions were first introduced at Quins. She started as a participant but soon found herself in a leadership role, ensuring that others could enjoy the game as much as she had.

"I’ve gone from being a Quins supporter to playing Touch Rugby when Quins first started their sessions, to now running their Touch group—not sure how that happened!" she laughs.

Leading the group wasn’t something she had planned, but when the opportunity arose, she stepped up. Despite the challenge of transitioning from playing to leading and refereeing, she embraced it, determined to keep the sessions running for the players who love the game.

"Taking on the Touch group wasn’t something that I thought of doing initially. But understandably, people move on, and I was happy to carry on running the group when asked. It’s been very different, and sometimes quite daunting, going from playing to leading sessions and reffing, but I’ve muddled through—and there’s been plenty of laughs along the way."

Creating Opportunities for Women & Girls in Rugby

One of the biggest impacts of Touch Rugby at Quins has been its ability to provide an accessible, inclusive way for women and girls to get involved in the sport.

"Touch has seen a number of girls and ladies at Quins over the past few years. Some have come along to try it for fitness and stayed, some have said contact rugby was too physical and simply preferred the non-contact side of Touch, and a number of girls have enjoyed it so much that they have moved on to full-contact rugby and still play now."

Now, with the Harlequeens—the club’s first-ever girls contact team—up and running, Claire hopes that even more girls will transition from Touch to full-contact rugby over time.

"Hopefully, the Touch team will continue to thrive, and with all the younger players coming up, the number of girls playing Touch will hopefully grow as well. Now that the Harlequeens are up and running, the girls will be able to join us for Touch once they are old enough."

Unforgettable Moments on the Pitch

Ask Claire about her favourite memories from Touch Rugby, and she has plenty to choose from. There have been tournaments, celebrations, and new friendships, but one experience stands out above the rest.

"One of the most memorable times for me has to be in 2019 when we were given the opportunity to play in a Touch tournament in front of the England squad. We spent the day playing in the sun, and we were able to meet several of the players and Eddie Jones. It was an incredible experience!"

These moments aren’t just fun; they help build a sense of community and belonging, which is at the heart of everything Bristol Harlequins RFC represents.

The Future of Touch Rugby at Quins

For Claire, Touch Rugby is about more than just the game—it’s about fun, fitness, and friendships. It provides a great way for players to stay active, return from injury, or simply enjoy rugby without the contact.

"To a lot of our players, Touch Rugby is all about having fun whilst playing. But many of our players also use Touch to keep their fitness up, as well as helping them come back from injury."

And her message to anyone thinking about giving it a go?

"We are always open to new players, whether you’ve played rugby before or not—just drop in to one of our sessions and give it a go! You might just really enjoy it!"