The new fixture-list (www.thepwr.com/news/fixtures-announced-for-premiership-womens- rugby-season-2024-25) was heralded long and loud by PWR and the nine clubs. It presents a shortened and interrupted programme, which other tournaments made inevitable.
The calendar apart, we have the same pattern as last year, remaining less than satisfactory through the absence of a tenth club. So it’s four matches per week plus a bye for one unfortunate.
Let’s look at the first round to see what the future holds:
Saturday 5 October
Saracens v Trailfinders Women (StoneX Stadium, KO 14.00)
Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs (Twickenham Stoop, KO 15.00)
Loughborough Lightning v Bristol Bears (cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, KO 15.00)
Sunday 6 October
Gloucester-Hartpury v Leicester Tigers (Kingsholm Stadium, KO unconfirmed, live on TNT Sports) Bye, Sale Sharks
Why are Glos-Pury and Kingsholm still unable to offer a definite start time? Everyone else can. Is it the cameras that are the problem?
All’s Fair in Love and War
How is the draw made? Like the National Lottery, or some even more sophisticated method?
All I see is none of the three newest clubs playing at home; Sharks even have to wait a week, Tigers are offered an away fixture against the double table-toppers, and Trailfinders cross London to face the most successful club of the lot. When Sharks are allowed to kick a ball in Round Two, who should come visiting but Sarries! Let’s imagine those four calls are pure chance.
Next, the television-live stream coverage has not improved. Just the one game presented by TNT, so the PWR continues to offer fans less live coverage than the Prem 15s did. That was a point I raised when news first came through of the new TV contract. TNT’s interest doesn’t yet seem whole-hearted.
And blow me down, they have chosen the champions to highlight first.
The official introduction to the new season is revealing in itself.
Pride of place goes to Gloucester-Hartpury. Andrew Ford, an assistant coach, says their strength lies in their pathway. That’s unsurprising, since they are the only college + university in the country offering a general education plus a specialist rugby progamme that has produced vast numbers of international players.
Dave Ward of Bristol reckons “There’s going to be six or seven teams right up there”. He doesn’t name names, but if Sharks and Tigers manage to finish among them, I’ll be delighted.
For the rest Quins are given a lot of space; the others is a quick nod and no more.
Signings
One indicator of a club’s health is the number and quality of new players it’s managed to attract. While trying to keep up with the dozens of transfers, I’ve been surprised by the lack of news coming out of Welford Road. Tigers’ first problem was the departure of their head coach, Vicky Macqueen. But since the appointment of Tom Hudson I’ve found no news of attempts to strenghen the team that finished bottom.
Among the 45 I spotted during July, Tigers’ name cropped up once: Lucy Nye has left them for Exeter Chiefs. She was born in the city.
It’s better news for most of the clubs. Fans will have to get used to a host of unfamiliar faces. At the same time the coaches will need to make sure the newcomers fit in with the patterns of play.
Home and Away
Would you expect most clubs to play alternate home and away fixtures? Here’s Trailfinders’ sequence:
A H AA H A A H H H A A H H H A
That’s eight at home and eight away, which seems mathematically sound. But two home games in the first seven? Then two sets of three consecutive home games?
I know I could never build a fixture card without outside help, but is alternation quite impossible?
