▁states ▁that ▁she ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁rugby ▁team ▁in ▁Port ora ▁Royal ▁School ▁in ▁En n isk ill en , ▁Ireland ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁Although ▁there ▁are ▁reports ▁of ▁early ▁women ' s ▁matches ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁France , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁notable ▁games ▁to ▁prove ▁primary ▁evidence ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁war - time ▁encounter ▁between ▁Card iff ▁Lad ies ▁and ▁New port ▁Lad ies ; ▁a ▁photo ▁of ▁which ▁shows ▁the ▁Card iff ▁team ▁before ▁the ▁match ▁at ▁the ▁Card iff ▁Ar ms ▁Park . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁game ▁has ▁grown ▁in ▁popular ity ▁among ▁female ▁athlet es , ▁and ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁according ▁to ▁World ▁Rugby , ▁women ' s ▁rugby ▁was ▁being ▁played ▁in ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁countries . ▁ ▁The ▁English - based ▁Women ' s ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Union ▁( WR F U ), ▁responsible ▁for ▁women ' s ▁rugby ▁in ▁England , ▁Scotland , ▁Ireland , ▁and ▁Wales , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁formally ▁organ ised ▁national ▁gover ning ▁body ▁for ▁women ' s ▁rugby . ▁This ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁by ▁the ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Union ▁for ▁Women ▁( R F U W ) ▁in ▁England ▁with ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁Home ▁Nations ▁gover ning ▁their ▁own ▁countries . ▁ ▁The ▁premier ▁international ▁competition ▁in ▁rugby ▁union ▁for ▁women ▁is ▁the ▁Women