The New Recruits
The two new clubs, Leicester Tigers and Ealing Trailfinders, have only two examples to follow of clubs arriving fresh-faced into the elite league. But Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks provide very different stories. In short, the simplest solution to survival is money, and plenty of it.
Leicester Tigers are doing the big sell. They have already acquired three Red Roses, Amy Cokayne, Celia Quansah and Meg Jones, to help increase optimism. They are asking for volunteers to advance the cause.
But as they claim they are ‘actively growing the game in the Leicestershire area’, they make no mention of Loughborough Lightning, just down the road, who have been doing that for the past many years.
And in the curious way the league has been transformed over the past months, Lightning find themselves split between two centres, their own university and Northampton, a distance south.
The geographical conundrum the RFU set itself in 2017 – to provide a broad base across the country – has not been solved. In practice, it is proving impossible. London loses one club, but gains another. The West country retains four clubs; the Midlands rise from two to three, though two lie on each other’s doorstep. The north now resembles a desert with a single oasis.
That is one more intractable problem facing the newly installed company in charge of affairs.
Ealing Trailfinders inevitably find themselves taking on Wasps’ mantle, as the sole representatives from West London. Like Tigers, they have now acquired three Red Roses, all of whom were previously Wasps: Abby Dow, Liz Crake and latterly Rowena Burnfield. Andrea Stock becomes a fourth Wasps to move across, but ET know they can’t reply on their academies at Brunel and Henley to supply all their remaining needs. More signings must follow.
The Top Half
Both Dow ad Burnfield arrived at Trailfinders via Quins, who are losing players at a surprising rate for a top club. For the first time they failed to reach the play-offs, which is a real downer. Even that last round result, 33-33 against Warriors, was a shocker; a wide half-time lead thrown away. What? Oh yes, England achieved nearly the same against France, so all is forgiven.
We were not told what led to Amy Turner’s replacement of Gerard Mullen as head coach. If it was simply a question of results, then Turner’s position must be in jeopardy, but other factors may well have been in play.
Quins said goodbye to Jess Breach and Leanne Infante – the latter admittedly via Bristol Bears to Sarries. And next season will see them minus Cokayne, another major loss. The replacements Turner brought in couldn’t provide the cutting edge needed to ensure victory in tight games. Despite having two of the sharpest tacks in their back line, Dow and Ellie Kildunne, their ‘points for’ reading leaves them well behind the top four clubs.
The one side to make an outstanding advance were Gloucester-Hartpury. Sean Lynn must be considered the coach of the season. He has brought in a host of top players such as Alex Matthews (ex-Worcester) and Sarah Beckett (another ex-Quinn), but his greatest achievement must be in advancing the careers of so many other players at various stages of their careers.
Amongst the English-qualified players Bianca Blackburn and Rachel Lund haven’t worn a Red Rose shirt for several seasons, but it’s contributions like theirs that keep the boat bobbing along.
The season’s statistics tell a strange story. Though they were the only club to reach the last round with a single loss, G-H scored fewer points than Exeter (2nd) and Saracens (3rd) and conceded more than Exeter. But we all know what stats are.
Exeter Chiefs may yet achieve their constant ambition, to be top of the class, but they couldn’t equal G-H’s achievements in the regular season. If the new company in charge of the AP 15s does introduce a limit on overseas players, then several of them may not be signed on again for next season. Then the club’s other main strategy, to advance the cause of local Devon and Cornwall players, can take precedence.
Saracens have experienced an uneven season. They have been at the top of the pole for so long that it was surprising to find them struggling at times. No need to quote injuries as an excuse – every club can tell the same story. So the cause must lie in the overall quality of the squad. They can still replace one Red Rose in a technical position with another: Holly Aitchison for Zoe Harrison at 10 and Mackenzie Carson for Hannah Botterman at 1. Few other clubs can, but they still managed to lose three games, roughly three times as many as in the past.
Bristol Bears have enjoyed a fine season. Even without Abbie Ward to act as an important anchor, they had sufficient reserves of talent to ensure a first entry to the play-offs. Even so, Dave Ward has a distance to go before his squad can face all opposition with confidence. The biggest gap across the top four teams lies precisely between the Bears and Sarries in third place, a whole 15 points.
The Other Half
Lightning still have to sort out their relationship with Northampton Saints. For all the benefits of aligning with a major men’s club, there remain logistical problems that other clubs don’t face. They had an underwhelming season. As leading players succumbed to injury, the reserves called up couldn’t ensure regular wins. Five out of eighteen is a paltry return for a once successful unit.
Worcester’s travails have been widely recorded. At least they have emerged from the wreckage intact, unlike the men’s teams. Great credit is due to Jo Yapp for her perseverance and encouragement to her players. They have hauled themselves out of a bottom-3 position for the first time, reaching their best-ever 6th. If the Coach of the Year trophy is awarded for hard work and perseverance, then Lynn must cede honour to Yapp.
Sale have had to resort to signing up players from the New World and the Celtic lands to keep pace with their rivals. That was not the original intention of the club, who sought to bring on the local talent the north consistently provides . Sadly for them, the pull of the south remains too strong.
We are left with the two clubs who are relegated, unlikely ever to return, Wasps and DMP Sharks.
That is the price for failure in the bright new world of professional women’s rugby. There is no fall-back position for clubs that don’t maintain standards. Will that be the case at the end of the RFU’s 10-year strategy in 2033? We can only hope not.
