The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is bidding to increase female participation in the game by offering clubs funds to market women’s matches taking place on Saturdays.

The initiative is part of the governing body’s Play To Your Strengths campaign, which is attempting to hit a target of 25,000 women playing rugby by 2017. Saturday games are traditionally the preserve of the male game, but the RFU is looking for a more integrated approach for the female game to thrive.

Talking at the latest Rugby Expo at Twickenham, RFU head of rugby growth Ben Lowe said the organisation was investigating how it could “push a message out about giving the girls a game on a Saturday”.

grassroots clubs are being asked to host at least one women’s Saturday match a year initially so that the RFU can monitor the impact.

“We obviously know not every club will be able to do that and facilities won’t be able to support that capacity, but it’s about thinking within your clubs,” he said, highlighting the importance of making sure women feel “integrated” and fostering a “one club mentality”.

Raising the visibility of female rugby, allowing men and women to socialise on the same day, and freeing up women to coach minis and juniors on Sundays are the impacts that will be measured.

Just over 23,000 women are registered players of rugby union compared to a total of 15,000 in 2013, before Play To Your Strengths launched. According to the RFU, the number of female rugby players has doubled in the last decade.

Contributing to this growing trend is the Pitch up and Play initiative, which launched last year to capitalise on the England women’s team winning the 2014 Rugby World Cup. The free sessions are hoping to contribute 10,000 more women to the sport by 2017 through skills coaching, fitness and match play.

In 2015, 60 events ran with 1,200 participants. The RFU aims to double the haul to 120 events and 2,400 participants in the coming 12 months.