A total of three fixtures have been selected for broadcast over the second match weekend of February.

First up, Chelsea will play Manchester City at Kingsmeadow on Friday 16 February, kicking off at 7.15pm in front of the BBC cameras.

Arsenal will then host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 17 February, kicking off at 12:30pm before Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Liverpool to the Broadfield Stadium on Sunday 18 February for a 12 noon kick-off, with both games broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Remaining Barclays Women’s Super League matches for the same weekends will be streamed on The FA Player.

Fans overseas should check their local listings for broadcast details. Countries without a broadcast deal will see all matches available on The FA Player.

In the Barclays Women’s Championship meanwhile, Sheffield United’s home fixture against Watford will be broadcast live on the FA Player on Sunday 18 February, 2pm kick-off at Bramall Lane.

Barclays Women’s Super League broadcast picks

Barclays Women’s Championship broadcast picks

The 28-year-old missed out on the trip to Gloucester-Hartpury due to injury but will feature at fullback in Saturday’s encounter at Twickenham Stoop (kick-off: 2pm).

Rollie takes the place of fellow Scot Helen Nelson in the squad as the fly-half misses out due to injury. A reshuffle in the backs division sees Red Roses ace Helena Rowland switch from outside centre to wear the number ten shirt for the second time this season.

Rowland’s place in the midfield is filled by Bulou Mataitoga, who carried for the second-most metres gained (174) in the league last weekend from fullback.

She is joined in the centres by Carmela Morrall. The 19-year-old is one of six Lightning players to have started every league game this season and will extend that record at the Stoop on Saturday along with Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell, Megan Davey, Georgina Tasker, and Rachel Malcolm.

Left winger and vice-captain Tasker stretches her record as being the only Lightning player to start every Allianz Cup and PWR match this season as she makes the XV for an eleventh time. Bo Westcombe-Evans, fresh from registering her sixth try in nine games this term at Gloucester-Hartpury, wears the number 14 shirt.

The forwards remain unchanged with Catherine Wells, who made her Lightening debut in Round 7, going from the start at loosehead prop. Hooker Kathryn Treder starts for a fourth successive game hoping to add the three tries scored across that period. Tighthead prop Belisle completes the front row.

Wassell packs down in the second row alongside last weekend’s two-try star, Catherine O’Donnell.

Sadia Kabeya, whose 17 tackles at the Hartpury University Stadium moved her clear at the top of the league’s average tackles made per match (20.7), features at openside flanker in the back row with captain Malcolm and Daisy Hibbert-Jones at number eight.

Among the replacements there is one change as fly-half Lia Green features for the first time since Round 1, as head coach Nathan Smith opts for a split of five forwards and three backs to face Harlequins.

“This is a big block of fixtures for us where we will be looking to continue with the progress we have made in recent weeks and build on that momentum,” Smith said.

“The energy in the camp remains positive and competition for places is fierce. Everyone is looking forward to the challenge ahead this weekend.”

HARLEQUINS v LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING
Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby, Round 8
Saturday 13 January 2024
Twickenham Stoop
Kick-off: 2pm

15 Chloe Rollie
14 Georgina Tasker (vc)
13 Bulou Mataitoga
12 Carmela Morrall
11 Bo Westcombe-Evans
10 Helena Rowland
9 Megan Davey

1 Catherine Wells
2 Kathryn Treder
3 Christine Belisle
4 Emma Wassell
5 Catherine O’Donnell
6 Rachel Malcolm (c)
7 Sadia Kabeya
8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones

Replacements:
16 Maja Mueller
17 Katie Trevarthen
18 Grace Clifford
19 Abby Duguid
20 Hallie Taufoou
21 Jess Weaver
22 Lia Green
23 Carys Williams-Morris

With thanks to Loughborough Lightning

They have grown angry since it became apparent that the PWR board might actually enforce one of its significant regulations, a limit on non-England qualified players. Whether that will make them even keener on victory remains the big unknown.

At all events, the selectors have found room for at least five EQPs in the starting Fifteen.

Quins have a chance to secure two wins on the trot for the first time this season, but they must expect Lightning to regain their best form some time soon. The Midlanders have faced last year’s two finalists in succession.

Trailfinders will complete the same challenge as they take on the title-holders at home, again late in the day; it’s a double-header for them. They have done enough to prove their right to be sitting at the top table, but that’s not the same as winning matches against the best.

One fascinating detail about G-H’s success: they kick the ball (and regain it) more than any other club (thanks OPTA).

Sarries will face a similar double. After hosting Chiefs, next week they’ll travel to the west country to help deny Glos-Pury the pleasure of a second championship trophy. That won’t be a game for the faint-hearted. And Alex Austerberry is finding it harder and harder to pick holes in his squad’s performances.

It would be a small miracle if Tigers gained a point facing Bears; if they don’t start gathering a few in the new year, we have to wonder when they will. And should they not, somebody may raise the question, how did they come to receive an invitation to the dance?

Dave Ward has admitted Bears’ indifferent form. Though they can expect to win by a margin, he may add extra targets; for example, to complete a clean sheet, and that means keeping Meg Jones quiet.

More of OPTA’s stats make interesting reading, especially winning margins. At present they read:

7-point margin or less: 4 matches
8-14 point margin: 6 matches
15-20 point margin: 4 matches
21+ point margin: 12 matches

So plenty of tight(ish) finishes, but big victories win hands down.

Fixtures Saturday 13 January:

Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears, KO 13.00
Quins v Loughborough Lightning, KO 14.00
Saracens v Exeter Chiefs, KO 14.30
Trailfinders Women v Gloucester-Hartpury, KO 16.45
Sale Sharks bye

Table ​​​

                                    P​     W​      L​      B    Pts

Saracens                  6      6      ​0        6     30
Exeter​​​                       6     5        1        7     27
Glos-Pury         ​​       5      5      0        4      23
Bears       ​​                 6       3      3         3     15
Trailfinders      ​​​       6       2     4          3     11
Harlequins  ​​           6      2      4          3      11  ​
Lightning                6        2     3         3     10
Sale         ​​                 5       1       4         3       7
Tigers​​​                      6       0      6         2       2

Afterthoughts

It’s noticeable how many clubs are advertising girls’ intro sessions to their programme.

Equally, clubs are presenting you with an (almost) full-day menu for coming matches (Gates open at 11 am, or earlier! Rather like a cricket match, the game has to be fitted in or around a choice of meals.

Now it’s car-parking charges: £8 for your chauffeur-driven Roller at Welford Road.

Danelle Lochner starts at lock off the back of two huge performances against Gloucester-Hartpury and Leicester Tigers. Lochner will be partnered by Kaitlan Leaney in the second-row, who was this week voted as Wallaroos Player of the Year.

Sarah Bonar and Abbie Fleming start on the flanks with Shaunagh Brown bringing her carrying power from number eight.

Lucy Packer will look to make her first start of the season having pulled out of last week’s clash with Leicester Tigers last-minute due to illness.

Rachael Burford captains the side from 12 partnering Lagi Tuima in the midfield.

Freya Aucken will lead the team out on the afternoon of her 50th Harlequins appearance, as she starts on the wing.

Harlequins Head Coach Amy Turner said: “It was good to get back to winning ways against Leicester last week, and we’ve looked to build on that this week in training. Loughborough’s brand of rugby is exciting and their set piece game is consistently very good, so we’ve got to front up there to take control and play our game.

“The Stoop is our home and we’re very proud of that, we want to back up last week’s performance against Leicester with a good result at home in front of our fans.”

Harlequins Starting XV
1. Silvia Turani
2. Connie Powell
3. Bryony Cleall
4. Danelle Lochner
5. Kaitlan Leaney
6. Sarah Bonar
7. Abbie Fleming
8. Shaunagh Brown
9. Lucy Packer
10. Emily Scott
11. Beth Wilcock
12. Rachael Burford ©
13. Lagi Tuima
14. Freya Aucken
15. Ellie Kildunne

Impact Players
16. Rosie Dobson
17. Hannah Sims
18. Babalwa Latsha
19. Ciara Cooney
20. Aseza Hele
21. Flo Robinson
22. Ella Cromack
23. Izzy Mayhew

This news come packed with problems, many of which I have discussed in previous postings. They include:

Discussions and more discussions

It’s three years since the B&I board set up a panel to discuss possibilities. It’s taking a very long time.

Host Country

New Zealand was the only reasonable destination. Of the other nations the men’s team visits regularly neither Australia nor South Africa could offer the same benefits. The planning committee has correctly discounted the only other two to come into consideration, Canada and France.

Calendar

The global calendar the women’s game now enjoys will be a deciding factor in when the tour is squeezed into the year. There are still gaps, but the meeting of northern and southern hemisphere sides means the seasons don’t synchronise perfectly. The Six Nations is an established event, to which we must now add WXV. Avoiding clashes with national leagues and tournaments (eg Super Aupiki) is essential.

But NZR will be delighted to offer the Black Ferns more test matches of the right order of strength, a plea they have been making for years.

Who?

There are two former women internationals on the panel of decision makers, Niamh Briggs, now an assistant to Scott Bemand with the Irish national side, and Shaunagh Brown of England. It’s fascinating to find Brown insisting that any Lions squad should be picked solely on ability; no question of quota selection from the four nations involved. That wish opens a can of worms.

It relates to the question I asked long ago: how does the squad avoid consisting to a vast extent of Red Roses? I even went so far to select a Fifteen split into four Irish, Scots and Welsh, with three English to make up the numbers.

According to Brown you can now throw that out of the window. Then you must decide which Celtic players pick themselves ahead of their English counterparts. To get an unbiased decision, you really need to find an independent observer who has watched any number of Six Nations (and PWR?) matches over the past two years. Not easy.

In practical terms: which Irish, Scottish and Welsh players would you place in higher esteem than the strongest squad the Red Roses could send out? And remember, the side that put 33 points on the Black Ferns on the last day on WXV1 was well short of full strength.

The only Celtic side ever to beat the Black Ferns was Ireland in a never-to-be-forgotten World Cup game in 2014. And their win helped England gain one of their two RWC trophies. Hoho.

Which brings us to a point of burning controversy every time a men’s squad is chosen. Why so many XXXs and so few YYYs? You can tell the nationality of the questioner by his target.

It’s easiest to imagine a selection panel representing the four nations, but with a fifth person, probably the Chair, to ensure a decisive verdict. Their first task would be to choose the coaching team, itself the trickiest of tasks, as so many well qualified women come to mind. Then to decide how far the head coach can have a say in the final choices. No point in sending out a team headed by a coach who does not agree with its make-up.

History again tells us that a happy pairing of manager and head coach is vital for a successful tour.

One advantage a women’s Lions squad would have over a men’s equivalent is that, for good or ill, so many Celtic players are used to appearing alongside English players in the PWR. Not so the men, for the most part.

I wonder why the Times report is headed by a photo of triumphant Red Roses.

How many matches?

A series of three tests is envisaged. A second statement of intent from Brown was for games other than tests to be staged. That falls in line with long-standing Lions tradition, but in recent decades tours have become shorter and shorter. It would be a delight to see representative or regional sides again able to pit themselves against the Lions. Some of the most glorious legends of men’s tours have involved a local side beating incoming tourists. Try asking anyone from Llanelli.

The number of tour games will also decide the size of the squad. The fewer the games, the fewer the players able to enjoy the honour of wearing a Lions shirt.

Matches below test level give the management the opportunity to refine their selections. And that is one central reason for preferring New Zealand as a destination.

Attendances

In an upbeat report The Times concentrates on the World Cup final attendance of 43,000 at Eden Park. It does not mention the enormous effort the planners had to put in to attract that new record gate. Nor the sad fact that not even Kiwis have shown themselves ready to turn out in large numbers to watch international matches without a big publicity drum being beaten. WXV1 was poorly attended. The Lions brand is a huge magnet in the southern hemisphere, so we can only hope that it will help attract audiences worthy of the occasion.

The Choice is yours

You are now invited to sit down in a quiet room and select say 35 players to make the trip. Of course, you will be judging on present standings, not how the game and the players will look in three years’ time. But that doesn’t make your task any easier. And best not to bump into a player you have omitted in your local cafe.

You can get a sense of my reactions to the news from the following links:

4theloveofsport.co.uk/2019/08/02/a-british-and-irish-lions-tour-another-step-towards-equality/

4theloveofsport.co.uk/2021/03/08/a-womens-lions-tour-comes-a-step-closer/

4theloveofsport.co.uk/2023/02/28/the-lions-the-next-stage/

4theloveofsport.co.uk/2022/02/16/the-womens-british-and-irish-lions-seek-advice/

Skye Nicolson is confident of landing her dream World Title shot on home soil in Australia this year.

The Interim WBC World Champion had been calling for a shot at multi-weight icon Amanda Serrano but will now face Denmark’s Sarah Mahfoud for the full World Title after the Puerto Rican vacated her title last month.

The Commonwealth Gold medallist and Olympian, who is undefeated in nine fights since joining the professional ranks in March 2022, enjoyed a breakout 2023, securing four big wins from four fights in New York, Cardiff, Tijuana and Dublin.

Nicolson kicked off 2023 by outpointing Spain’s Tania Alvarez at the Madison Square Garden Theater to land the WBC Silver Featherweight Title before decisioning Peru’s Linda Laura Lecca in her second fight at the Cardiff International Arena.

The slick southpaw captured the Interim Featherweight World Title against Argentina’s Maribel Perez in Mexico and ended the year in style by earning her first stoppage win against Sweden’s Lucy Wildheart on the blockbuster Cameron vs. Taylor 2 card in Ireland.

28-year-old Nicolson has paved the way for female boxing in Australia, and speaking at a media day in Brisbane today the former amateur sensation admitted that it would be a dream come true to capture a full World Title in front of her family and friends down under.

“I think Matchroom are trying really hard to get the fight in Australia, hopefully in Brisbane, which would be a dream come true for my first World Title,” said Nicolson. “I’m really excited to win that first World Title and bring it home to Australia. Matchroom, right now, are trying to focus on a date in April.

“I think a lot of people thought my last fight was going to be a tough test for me but I know what I’m capable of. I didn’t overlook Lucy Wildheart but I knew that fight was going to be a big statement. I’ve said from day one, the better the opponent, the better the Skye Nicolson you’ll see on the night.

“I know Mahfoud won three rounds against Serrano just over a year ago. She won’t win three rounds against me. That was the same against Wildheart, she won three rounds against Mikaela Meyer. She wasn’t winning three rounds against me, never, it wasn’t even going to be close. I feel very confident, I know she’s a good boxer but that works in my favour, I like fighting good boxers.”

With thanks to Matchroom Boxing

Fixtures for 2024 are listed below, arranged by venue:-

*Arundel, The Castle Cricket Ground (West Sussex)

Bank Holiday Monday, May 27 *14h30: Southern Vipers vs Sunrisers (match 12);

*Beckenham, The County Ground (Kent)

Friday, May 24 *14h30: South East Stars vs North West Thunder (match 7);
Bank Holiday Monday, May 27 *14h30: South East Stars vs Western Storm (match 11);

*Birmingham, Edgbaston

Saturday, June 8 *11h30: Central Sparks vs Northern Diamonds (match 24);
Friday June 14 *14h30: Central Sparks vs North West Thunder (match 31);
Wednesday, June 19 *11h30: Central Sparks vs The Blaze (match 38);

*Blackpool, Stanley Park

Sunday, June 9 *13h00: North West Thunder vs Sunrisers (match 28);

*Brighton & Hove, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove

Wednesday, June 19 *11h30: Southern Vipers vs South East Stars (match 37);

*Bristol, Seat Unique Stadium

Sunday, May 19 *14h30: Western Storm vs South East Stars (match 3);
Sunday, June 9 *11h30: Western Storm vs Southern Vipers (match 27);

*Canterbury, The Spitfire Ground

Sunday, June 9 *11h00: South East Stars vs Central Sparks (match 26);

*Cardiff, Sophia Gardens

Thursday, June 13 *14h30: Western Storm vs North West Thunder (match 30);

*Chelmsford, The Cloud County Ground

Friday, May 24 *18h30: Sunrisers vs Southern Vipers (match 8);
Wednesday, June 19 *11h30: Sunrisers vs Western Storm (match 39);

*Chester-le-Street, Seat Unique Riverside

Friday, May 31 *14h30: Northern Diamonds vs South East Stars (match 15);
Wednesday, June 19 *11h30: Northern Diamonds vs North West Thunder (match 40);

*Derby, The Incora County Ground

Sunday, June 16 *11h30: The Blaze vs South East Stars (match 36);
Saturday, June 22 *11h00 Semi-final 1 (match 41); *14h30 Semi-final 2 (match 42);
Saturday, June 22 *18h45 Final between semi-final winners (match 43);

*Leeds, Headingley Stadium

Bank Holiday Monday, May 27 *14h30: Northern Diamonds vs Central Sparks (match 10);
Sunday, June 9 *11h00: Northern Diamonds vs The Blaze (match 25);
Sunday, June 16 *11h00: Northern Diamonds vs Western Storm (match 35);

*Leicester, The Uptonsteel County Ground

Friday, June 7, *14h30: The Blaze vs Western Storm (match 22);

*London (North) at Lord’s (St John’s Wood)

Thursday, June 6 *14h15: Sunrisers vs South East Stars (match 21);
Thursday, June 13 *14h15: Sunrisers vs The Blaze (match 29);

*London (South) at The Kia Oval (Kennington)

Sunday, June 2 *13h30: South East Stars vs Southern Vipers (match 19);
Saturday, June 15 *14h30: South East Stars vs Sunrisers (match 33);

*Manchester, Emirates Old Trafford

Sunday, May 19 *13h00: North West Thunder vs Northern Diamonds (match 2);
Thursday, May 30 *14h30: North West Thunder vs Central Sparks (match 13);
Sunday, June 2 *16h00: North West Thunder vs The Blaze (match 20);
Friday, June 7 *14h30: North West Thunder vs Southern Vipers (match 23);

*Northampton, The County Ground

Sunday, June 2 *11h30: Sunrisers vs Northern Diamonds (match 18);

*Nottingham, Trent Bridge

Thursday, May 23 *18h30: The Blaze vs Northern Diamonds (match 6);
Friday, May 31 *14h30: The Blaze vs Central Sparks (match 16);

*Southampton, The Ageas Bowl Stadium

Saturday, May 18 *14h30: Southern Vipers vs The Blaze (match 1);
Thursday, May 30 *15h00: Southern Vipers vs Western Storm (match 14);
Friday, June 14 *15h00: Southern Vipers vs Northern Diamonds (match 32);

*Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground

Wednesday, May 22 *18h30: Western Storm vs Central Sparks (match 5);
Friday, May 31 *14h30: Western Storm vs Sunrisers (match 17);

*Worcester, New Road

Sunday, May 19 *14h30: Central Sparks vs Sunrisers (match 4);
Sunday, June 16 *10h30: Central Sparks vs Southern Vipers (match 34);

*Venue to be decided

Sunday, May 26 *14h30: The Blaze vs North West Thunder (match 9);

Latest match information @URL: https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/fixtures

*Southern Vipers are defending champions for second consecutive year (2022 & 2023)

Footnote: Named in honour of Charlotte Edwards CBE, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to English cricket variously as a player, coach and commentator.

Following a recovery period, opening batter Lamb will now begin her rehabilitation with the ECB and Thunder medical teams.

With thanks to the ECB

After the three derbies last week, they got down to the serious business of international contests.
Edinburgh Rugby v Irish Wolfhounds

The hosts started well on top with good combinations, but as they camped on the Irish line, they failed to ensure a ruck was firmly built and lost an important turnover.

An Irish line-out worked well; No 9 Katie Whelan made a long break, but the move broke down. Not so a little later: Edinburgh’s Briar McNamara made another midfield break and fed a lovely back-hand off-load to Emma Orr, who strolled over. 7-0

Wolfhounds’ first big chance came when they attacked well to gain a 5-metre line-out. But – you’ve met the story before – the ball was overthrown and Edinburgh broke clear.

It took the visitors a good twenty miinutes to find their land-legs.

Things went much better for them a second time; Sarah Delaney was on the end of a successful drive. 7-5 Another excellent move saw them over the line, but the referee decreed ‘held up’ as he crouched low to assess.

They had a third thrust, but several phases ended in a knock-on; all very frustrating. Now they showed more patience: a long slow build-up led to a ball sent wide for winger Natasja Behan to dot down unopposed. 7-10

The Scots had a clear-cut chance to regain the lead as McNamara made anothe big break, but this time Orr couldn’t hold her pass. They paid for this error with a second try by Delaney from an attacking line-out. The margin was widening, Wolfhounds in charge over the closing minutes.

Half-time: 7-15

The Irish re-established their dominance straight after the break. Brittany Hogan was over the line inside three minutes. Dannah O’Brien at last had an easier conversion. 7-22

Edinburgh’s play was growing very untidy, passing less accurate and recycling scrappy. By contrast Wolfhounds were building extended moves. One was finished by Aoife Wafer, an increasingly dominant flanker, crossing for a fifth try. 7-27

Into the last quarter, and new faces helped Edinburgh regain some of their early success. Now Cieron Bell rode three strong tackles to cross in the left corner and renew hope. 12-27

The crowd cheered as Orr finished a fine move, but we were already in the last minute.

Result:17-27

Player of the Match: Dannah O’Brien

Teams:
Edinburgh Rugby

15 Rachel Philipps, 14 Hannah Walker, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Briar McNamara, 11 Cieron Bell; 10
Sarah Denholm (captain) 9 Jenny Maxwell; 1 Panashe Muzambe, 2 Nicola Haynes, 3 Molly
Poolman, 4 Fiona McIntosh, 5 Natasha Logan, 6 Gemma Bell, 7 Alex Stewart, 8 Merryn
Gunderson

Bench: 16 M Whitehouse, 17 P Fletcher, 18 K Lindsay, 19 A Ferrie, 20 F Walker, 21 L Brebner-
Holden, 22 N Marlow, 23 N Flynn

Wolfhounds

15. Ella Durkan (Ulster), 14. Natasja Behan (Leinster), 13. Aoife Dalton (Leinster), 12. Leah Tarpey (Leinster), 11. Aimee Clarke (Leinster), 10. Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), 9. Katie Whelan (Leinster), 
 1. Linda Djougang (Leinster), 2. Sarah Delaney (Leinster), 3. Sophie Barrett (Ulster), 4. Fiona Tuite (Ulster), 5. Eimear Corri (Leinster), 6. Hannah O’Connor (captain, Leinster), 7. Aoife Wafer (Leinster), 8. Brittany Hogan (Ulster)

Bench: 16. Maebh Clenaghan (Ulster), 17. Aoife Moore (Leinster), 18. Hannah Wilson (Leinster), 19. Keelin Brady (Ulster), 20. Éadaoin Murtagh (Leinster), 21. Erin McConnell (Leinster), 22. Nikki Caughey (Leinster), 23. Niamh Marley (Ulster)

Referee: Michael Todd

Other Result:

Clovers 17 Brython Thunder 5 (Energia Park, Dublin)

A young Clovers side gained thir first victory by outscoring the Welsh visitors three tries to one. Ailsa Hughes set the tone as a constant menace to the fringe defences. For her it was snipe and tap and go. This gave her team the forward momentum they needed. Captain Dorothy Wall was missing today, her armband taken by 19-year-old prop Sadhbh McGrath, who set a fine example herself. It was the second half that made the difference; at the break honours were even, 5-5.

Scores:

Clovers:
Tries: Ailsa Hughes, Ruth Campbell, Sadhbh McGrath; conversion: Méabh Deely; penalty: Méabh Deely

Brython Thunder:
Try: Alex Callender

In this Dublin game we had the novel sight of sixteen people wearing a red shirt. But the referee remained as neutral as he could. With half the Clovers’ quartered shirts also red, colour-blind spectators may have been at a disadvantage. It brings to mind the memorable explanation by the BBC’s David Coleman during a football match long ago: ‘For those of you watching in black and white, Arsenal are in red.’

That leaves one Sunday game: Gwalia Lightning Glasgow Warriors (Cardiff Arms Park)

Afterthoughts

Not quite the 2,000 who came to watch last week’s derby in Edinburgh, but still a healthy turn-out.
Edinburgh may have paid for their policy of focusing on the next generation, they had six transitional players on view. The influence of the Irish capped players was plain to see.

Two wins in one day for the Irish sides!

Coverage

Emma Orr was making her debut in this round, as she was a late withdrawal last week through
illness. Jennie Maxwell is still being managed carefully after a 20-month lay-off with a knee injury.

In the opening seconds in Edinburgh the rugbypass cameras twice allowed the ball to disappear
off screen as a pass went out. Are the operators quite unfamiliar with the game? Ah, exactly the
same shortcomings in Dublin. Camera selection was consistently below average.

Feelings run high. Just what is the league really about? Who is it really intended to benefit?
WP15 Ltd, in charge of the PWR, now comes a step closer to grasping the nettle: to
penalise clubs who field more than a given number of NEQPs (Non-England Qualified
Players), contrary to regulations.

When it was still Tyrrell’s Premier 15s, one of its prime professed aims was the advancement of
the England team. But even that can be helped in two ways: either by excluding all NEQPs, to
give the l;argest possible number of EQPs the chance of putting their case; or by inviting the
cream of overseas and Celtic talent to provide the strongest possible competition.

You can easily imagine who supports that second view: precisely those clubs who are heavily
dependent on NEQPs. All nine clubs remaining in the league have numbers of them, but some far
more than others. Sale Sharks are said to be in negotiations with the RFU and WP15 about their
present standing.

Since Sharks are the sole surviving northern club, it would be counter-productive in the extreme for them to suffer a penalty of whatever form. An initial objective of the league was to provide a wide geographical spread. That has long since been thrown out of the window. Sale’s reliance on NEQPs throws into doubt claims of all the rugby excellence to be found up north. Its very best have long since moved south: Zoe Aldcroft, Abbie Ward, Tatyana Heard, Cath O’Donnell, Ellie Kildunne, Holly Aitchison, Sarah Beckett, for example.

The noisiest of the complainants are Exeter Chiefs.

Now Chiefs’ supporters make claims like this, from @PamSpencer15058:
cap.

When Susie Appleby assembled her squad for 2020, she tried to get Red Roses to accept
invitations, but none proved willing – a World Cup was imminent, they wanted stability and
security – so she looked abroad and signed up capped players especially from the New World.

Over the first three years there might be as few as three EQPs in the starting 15 (Leitch, Doidge,
Jefferies).

‘Chiefs have developed some amazing young English talent with the help of the international
players that helped create the team’.

Yes, one half of Chiefs’ strategy was to promote the careers of young players from Devon and
Cornwall. Till then, they had to travel at least as far as Bristol to find a Premier 15s club.

But Spencer’s argument is contradicted by that tiny number of EQPs I’ve mentioned. And Chiefs
have not been a hothouse for breeding Red Roses. Their first was Claudia Macdonald, only after
DMP and Wasps’ demise; their second, Maisy Allen in 2023, was their first home-grown England
Glenn Redler (@4chords) comments: ‘[the PWR] should be trying to become the best league it can
be, with the best players from around the world.’

It is already achieving that first aim, but is the second one equally necessary? If all the best
players are confined to performing in one country, what happens to the rest? How do they thrive?
A familiar name from the recent past, Garnet Mackinder, comments: I’m all for the opportunities
for young English talent, great to see some new names on the team sheet! I understand both sides of the argument, but 10 overseas players in a squad seems reasonable and will hopefully
encourage other nations to invest in their leagues.’

Returning home to host

I see that as the thin end of the wedge. Ten seems very generous.

That last point is crucial. Are other national leagues being encouraged? I fear the answer is no. It
would need all or most of those leading NEQPs to return to their native heath to help (re-)establish
worthwhile leagues and inspire a younger generation.

And is ten a reasonable number of NEQPs? At once my mind turns to the men’s football Premiership, whose clubs are owned, coached and staffed largely by foreigners.

Are the many Celtic players in the PWR helping to grow leagues in their home countries? No. The
Celtic Challenge has had to be formed with the help of World Rugby as a substitute.

When people express the wish for the PWR to be ‘the best league in the world’, what competition
does it have? Super Aupiki (four franchises), Elite 1 (France), and?

That in itself seems to me the strongest argument for not continuing to increase its standing. It is
merely sapping the strength of those other leagues. Some that are under grave pressure include
the Ireland’s AIL, the reformed Serie A in Italy, the leagues below the Super Aupiki in NZ, SuperW
in Australia, Women’s Premier League (USA) – the list goes on.

An Alternative Opinion

Here are contrary views from very different perspectives. First from @TheStroBro in Tempe,
Arizona: ‘Compliance with this is interesting. Shouldn’t be an average, should be a hard stop and
the competitions department should kick back a roster if it doesn’t meet the EQP requirement
when it is submitted.’

Then from a more familiar figure, Graham Smith, former coach of the Red Roses:. He says simply:
‘Teams have to manage their squads. The registrations are clear. But all the clubs knew what the
rule was; and given that RFU contribute to the funding of the competition it seems a reasonable
stipulation’.

@Bealsfive says: ‘Personally, I support this. We have a host of young talent pushing their way into
PWR squads and we want to support a strong and sustainable growth pathway for our youth.’
You don’t have to look far to find promising young England players (U20s and U18s) being
excluded from squads in favour of NEQPs.

The RFU’s response

“The England Qualified Player scheme has the full support of both the RFU and Premiership
Women’s Rugby as part of our partnership to support the ambitions of the Red Roses, especially
with the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place in 2025 but we have also been open with other
countries to allow access for their players into PWR to help support their development as they
look to professionalise their own domestic leagues.

That last point opens another can of worms: where in the world is a fully professional women’s
league likely to succeed?

Summary

WP15 Ltd has been treading water, as if fearful of getting out of their depth. They had issued
warnings of unnamed penalties, but hesitated to apply them. They would claim that they were
taking soundings, to see how clubs and players felt about the issue.

They are in turn responsible to the RFU, which has its own agenda. It is spending vast sums on
the Red Roses, who are repaying them by their dominant showing on the world stage.

My own view, for what it is worth, is that the RFU is correct on prioritising the rights of English
players to play in the elite English league. Other players are certainly welcome, but not in
unrestricted numbers.