Several clubs including Bath have registered their interest in joining England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR). The expansion of the top flight has no concrete timeline, but the possibility of the league growing has thrown up different discussion points. How will non-professional players deal with travel if a club from another home nation is introduced? Will the expansion aid international competition? And how do players feel about it?
Before those questions are answered, let’s deal with the PWR expansion plans. The expression of interest phase was just an “exploratory” process and not a formal application to join the league. The move is part of the PWR’s 10-year plan to grow a sustainable and competitive league. The top flight is widely renowned as the best women’s club rugby competition in the world with international talent such as Ireland’s Aoife Wafer, New Zealand’s Alana Borland and Canada’s Sophie de Goede involved. However, the league has just nine teams after Worcester Warriors’ demise in 2023.
In order to raise their hand and show interest, sides had to meet certain criteria. The list included £1.2m of annual rugby programme investment, facilities that meet PWR competition, broadcast and training standards and being able to field a squad of 45 to 55 players. Welsh, Scottish and Irish unions are interested and English clubs have also said they are. The men’s Prem champions, Bath, have gone on the record to confirm their interest, outlining that they would need investment in the player pool and a robust business plan in order to progress sustainably.
Clubs had a deadline of 30 April to notify the PWR of their interest with the next steps of expansion uncertain. What we do know is that the league has ruled out the possibility of expansion for the 2026-27 season but are open to making the league bigger in future.
This initial step has caused a debate in women’s rugby circles. One of the main issues is potential travel implications for those who are not professional players. A large majority of PWR players have jobs outside rugby, which would mean they could not frequently take off a Friday or Monday as travel days for their league commitments.
The Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain, Mo Hunt, who has an England contract, said: “It is all really dependent on when our games are. Sunday games, which predominantly we have had because we have been on TNT a lot this year, have been pretty brutal for our girls that then go back to work on the Monday. It would need to be looked at and the day in which you are travelling and playing would definitely need to be considered if you do have a lot of girls who are still working.
“This year has been tough for some. Friday night games are similar. Moves like that pull it away to a more professional league and, if that is the case, then the financial backing needs to be in it as well.”
The possibility of having a Welsh team in the PWR is something the country’s players would embrace, according to the Wales scrum-half Keira Bevan. “All of us want to come and play in Wales,” she said. “I am with Bristol at the minute and I have another year with them and then after that I don’t really know what my rugby career will look like. If that was an option I think a lot of the girls would definitely look into it.
“There is no shying away from the fact the PWR is the best of the best. The players that come from overseas to play there as well, it speaks for itself. If more girls can get exposure to playing against the best in the world then when we play in red it will only benefit us as a squad.”
Increased competition on an international stage is an element of a potential expansion that excites the Exeter Chiefs head coach, Steve Salvin. He said: “If there is an opportunity to make the league stronger, why not? We are in a position where England are far and away the strongest team in world rugby and that is credit to them, they have put the work in to get themselves into that position. But people get addicted to sport through jeopardy and whenever England are winning games by 50, 60 points, we are not going to get that jeopardy.
“The development of the other nations sits largely in their hands and it is down to them to try and close that gap on England, but if bringing teams into the PWR plays a role in that then I think it is fantastic. If it strengthens the league and women’s rugby worldwide then it is a great move.”
The Ireland hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald also welcomes the idea of an expansion, not only for the growth of Irish rugby, but for it making European competition a closer possibility for women’s rugby. The Challenge or Champions Cup are notpart of the women’s game.
“It is very exciting for the Irish girls. There has been a central programme there for a long time and they have been managing their pathway through Celtic Challenge,” she said. “You have probably seen the Irish teams have a little bit more dominance in that competition than they would like. The next step for them would be having a Prem team or a team that can be challenged week in, week out.Everyone would love for there to be a European competition at some stage in the future too and this is probably the first step towards that.”
Fans, players, clubs and unions will be waiting with bated breath to see what the PWR decides to do next. An expansion seems to be a popular move, but the way it is handled, particularly for those who are not professional, will be crucial to its success.
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