A SPORTY mum and her daughter are proving they’re on the ball as they ‘try out’ for the same rugby team.

Leigh Speirs was inspired to take up the sport after seeing how much her 20-year-old daughter Rachel enjoyed it.

The formidable duo from Fancy Farm Road now both compete for the recently established Greenock Wanderers Ladies Team – and are out to help the side become scrum-thing special.

Thirty-seven-year-old Leigh, who works in a local newsagents, says it is ‘brilliant’ to play in the same team as her daughter, who has been playing the game on and off for the past five years.

Leigh said: “Rachel has always enjoyed rugby so when one of the players invited me to join a few months ago I thought I’d give it a go.

“I was a bit nervous before my first training session, especially meeting the other girls, but it was really good.

“There’s no competition between me and Rachel, as she is a lot better than me!

“It has improved my confidence and it’s also a great social thing too.” Both Rachel and Leigh were keen to thank their team manager John McIntyre, as well as their coach Brendan McGroarty and Steven Haldane who also helps out the team.

Rachel, who juggles training with working nightshift at a care home, is thrilled that her mum is by her side on the pitch.

She said: “It’s great — but I do get quite protective over my mum if someone tackles her then I’m right over to check she’s ok.

“But if it’s me then she thinks I’m fine.

“Quite a lot of the girls didn’t think we were mum and daughter, they thought we were sisters.

“We also give each other tips.” Despite only joining the team in September, Leigh has already featured in several matches.

She said: “We have been doing really well in the national development set-up, so we hope to get into a league next year.” Rachel would like to see more girls take up rugby.

She said: “I’ve been saying to a lot of girls to try rugby out as it’s challenging and you have to really work as a team — it’s great.

“It’s definitely getting more popular.”