How are things looking for the ten PWR clubs?
The Premiership Women’s Rugby schedule is to be announced on 9 August.
To every committed fan it will be a matter of some heart-pumping. But does it make much difference when Team A plays Team B home and away? Do they prefer an easy start or a real tester?
The two new entrants, Leicester Tigers and Trailfinders Women (as I’ve been instructed to call them) may well be concerned about their debut. They’d love it to be at home, but things rarely work out as wished.
The unspoken hope of both may be to face one of the less fancied teams in the league, assuming there are any left. But they are sure to retort that they’d much rather play one of the bookies’ favourites, say Gloucester-Hartpury or Saracens. That will give them an early chance to set out their stall and show the world what they are capable of.
We need only recall the sense of triumph when Linde van Der Velden scored Exeter Chiefs’ first try three years ago to realise what it can mean.
Wait a bit
We have to be patient; for a change the coming season won’t start till the late autumn. Under the umbrella of the new global calendar each nation has to fit its fixtures within prescribed limits. Priority goes to the equally new WXV, which will blast off in October. The England squad won’t complete its tasks till 4 November, so fans aren’t likely to see them in action till a while later.
It follows that the season won’t reach its climax till much later than usual.
One fear about the shape of the new league has been put to rest. The desire of so many clubs to join might have led to a league of twelve or even more. The new company in charge wisely rejected that option.
In turn it means that clubs will continue playing each other home and away through the eighteen rounds. That is a tough enough assignment, without the fear of an even longer season.
Unwise Predictions
Not a chance of guessing correctly how things will finish up, but here goes.
1. The top four
It’s curious how all the four semi-finalists of last season have bidden farewell to top players.
Sarries have lost Hannah Botterman and Holly Aitchison to the Bears; Chiefs have said a surprising good-bye to Kate Zackary and Abbie Fleming; Quins (only fifth last season!) have gained Sophie Bridger at the expense of the champions, Glos-Pury; two of Bristol’s losses (Elinor Snowsill and Abbie Parsons) look more like a permanent departure than a rival’s prized signing.
As for Sarries: a central doubt concerns Zoe Harrison’s return to fitness. She is the unfortunate owner of an ACL injury, which is now a central topic of concern to medical experts. The club recorded their poorest return from an array of international backs last year. If Harrison is unable to appear for a while yet, somebody else will have to step into the key 10 slot.
By contrast a midfield trio of Aitchison, Amber Reed and Phoebe Murray should enhance the Bears’ ambitions.
Glos-Pury may prove victims of the old truth that it’s far harder staying at the top than reaching it.
2. The debutants
Both Tigers and Trailfinders have stated (the first publicly, the second conversationally) that they are aiming for mid-table. That’s very understandable, but leaves the unanswered question: who will finish below them?
3. The lower reaches
Should those predictions come to pass, the answer would be Loughborough Lightning, Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors. Of the three, only Sharks have been active in the transfer field. I have stated my concerns about Lightning elsewhere (http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2023/05/24/a-solution-for-loughborough-lightnings-problems/). Their long-serving head coach, Rhys Edwards, parted company without an accompanying explanation. No team containing stars like Emily Scarratt, Cath O’Donnell, Helena Rowland and Sadia Kabeya should be a source of worry, but it is all-round strength that counts at this exalted level. I’m not convinced that the squad has what it takes to survive till the next review takes place – but when will that be?
Like them, Warriors have not been active in the transfer market, for understandable reasons. To their eternal credit they had their best ever season last year, but it’s likely they will find a repeat much harder. Losing Meg Varley from their midfield is a setback. At least they have gained the services of Ellie Green, whose highly promising career at Quins was blocked by the arrival of overseas competition.
Sale have signed up some useful acquisitions including the Red Roses Detysha Harper and Morwenna Talling. But the loss of other important figures such as Beth Stafford and Gwen Pyrs means they can’t be sure they’ll prove stronger at the restart.
Now we can sit back and watch the reactions of the ten clubs to the announcement of the season’s programme.
