A Saracens Womens rugby player will lead free fitness classes over the coming month.

Kat Evans, who plays for Saracens Women, will take charge of four weekly sessions at Fullerians RFC in Watford dedicated to increasing female participation in fitness and sport.

The Coningesbury Drive-based club, which has over 100 women playing rugby, has the fastest growing female team in the nation, according to director of women and girls’ rugby Alban Barnes.

He said: “We’re running this because we wanted to give back to the community.

“We’ve utilised Kat because she has the experience and she has played for Saracens.

Women at Fullerians reveal their 'inner warriors'

“Even if people do not join the club after the sessions, we have given something back and we have helped them along their journey.”

Mr Barnes added that the sessions will primarily be focused on fitness, with aspects of the session designed to introduce participants to rugby itself.

Women’s rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with participation increasing 60 per cent globally since 2013 and women making up a quarter of all players.

Mr Barnes, who chairs the Herts RFU Women and Girls Committee, said: “We want to keep getting more and more women involved.

Women training at Fullerians

“Rugby is perceived to be a man’s sport, but this week we had 23 women training and another 40 or 45 girls training.”

He also stressed the diversity within the club, with ages ranging from six to 49.

The sessions will be held for four consecutive Wednesday evenings starting from 16 January - to find out more, visit www.fullerians.co.uk.