Sport never fails to throw up unlikely stories.
Here’s one to contest the top place: Trailfinders Women and Giselle Mather have parted company. The official view is that they have irreconcilable differences in philosophies.
Anyone who has watched Wasps then Trailfinders over past years will have a good idea of Mather’s approach to rugby.
Ben Ward, the Managing Director, says “Our style of rugby represents the Trailfinders way”. That fails to start explaining his decision. I’m not sure of his credentials within the world of women’s rugby, but what exactly is his philospohy, and how can it be so diametrically opposite to Mather’s that he needs to wield the axe?
Mather’s sides play with a smile on their face; they prefer attack to defence. As we glance across the teams she has assembled since the start of the Premier 15s in 2017, we see an astonishing array of international talent.
Even in the harsh world of PWR competition she has managed to sign on any number of internatonal players, for example: Abby Dow, Abi Burton, Brooke Bradley, Elisa Riffonneau, Emma Uren, Julia Schell, Kate Zackary Liz Crake and Rowena Burnfield.
In recently announced test squads the names of Andrea Stock, Grace Moore, Shannon Ikahihifo (Ireland), Caity Mattinson, Lisa Thomson and Chloe Rollie (Scotland) have all appeared.
Now Mather is available to advances. I had hoped that she would be one of the leading candidates to take over from Simon Middleton, when he announced his decision to retire from master-minding the Red Roses. Instead the RFU opted for a man, a New Zealander, two years older than Middleton and not available to take up the post till months later.
So that reduces the number of women in charge of PWR clubs even further. Rachel Taylor, Susie Appleby and…?
When Jo Yapp had to leave Worcester Warriors – in slightly different circumstances – Australia pounced, and now she oversees the Wallaroos’ progress. And Mather?
You could even imagine players she has carefully assembled to play in green and white wondering about a possible move. It’s ridiculously late in the day for one of the nine PWR clubs to be hunting around for a new leader. It’s proving hard enough for Tom Hudson (Leicester Tigers) and Ross Chisholm (Quins) to mould a team into shape. The latest leader – yet another man? – will have no time at all, and may well have to overcome adverse reactions from deeply disappointed players
TF were already short of a kit manager; now they need a new leader who will prove better than an ex-World Cup winner who was probably the best female coach in the land.
