A Look at PWR’s Prospects
On 8 October Belinda Moore, CEO of Premiership Women’s Rugby, announced her unexpected resignation. We don’t yet know who her successor will be.
That person will have a host of hurdles to vault.
The long-term aims of PWR were ambitious in the extreme: across the next decade we would see improved playing standards (already well in view), larger audiences, more sponsorship, more media coverage and a move towards a fully professional structure for players and staffs.
The last four of those targets remain incomplete.
Money is the root of all concern. It’s hard to spot any area of world rugby, men’s or women’s, where finances are sound and treasurers have smiling faces. Within the PWR framework gates are improving, but at nowhere near the pace that would allow it to become less dependent on outside support.
A League sans pareil
Yet no-one doubts it is the outstanding example of a women’s league in existence. Players from all over the world come to participate in what they recognise as the best weekly programme available anywhere.
That brings us to a crucial decision. PWR announced its determination to limit the number of NEQPs playing in the league. Its first duty was to benefit the national team, the Red Roses. You can argue it is doing precisely that: another lengthy unbeaten run is opening up before us.
But how many promising English players are being denied a place on their club’s team-sheet by overseas players at the moment? The numbers are extremely high (*see below), and I’ve argued in the past that everyone of them weakens the chance of their home union building a league to enhance their nation’s prospects.
Will a new head of PWR grasp this nettle and decide on tighter regulations for NEQPs?
The Celts
Irish, Scottish and Welsh players are in a similar but not identical position to the other NEQPs. Their bases are much closer to their present clubs; they can return home for training far more easily.
The appointment of Lynne Cantwell as Head of Women’s Strategy for Irish Rugby marks a striking new development for the national team. She has won plaudits for the improvements wrought in the Boks’ squad, ever since she took over as their High Performance Director in 2021. But it always seemed likely to me that she would want to return home for good, especially in view of her young family.
We wait to see what the outcome will be. Of the three nations’ leagues, Ireland’s AIL has seemed much the strongest, though not strong enough to dissuade leading players from joining PWR clubs.
A stringent step would be to copy the controversial move attempted by men’s unions: “If you play abroad, you won’t be considered for the national team.” That is less than likely for women with their close domestic, financial and emotional ties to the clubs they play for.
But it’s the sort of development that would have to take place if we want to see playing strength made more equal around the globe.
The Maher case
As I write, the following is merely rumour. Ilona Maher, a USA 7s bronze medallist, is in talks with Bristol Bears and Gloucester-Hartpury in order to join PWR.
If you are a follower of Instagram or TikTok, you may already be one of Maher’s millions of fans. She professes admiration for the PWR, but we might wonder why she chooses this moment to take decisive action. Ah, she wants to rejoin the Eagles’ XVs squad, for whom she appeared briefly in the Pacific Four series. A trip to England in the New Year would allow English coaches to add the necessary ingredients so that she can enjoy the World Cup at first hand.
Were she to be invited in, she would displace one more native English player, but the club offering her a contract would enjoy an upturn in publicity and attendances.
At the same time, her departure for England would lower the American WER’s chances of making a big strike, as it endeavours to attract top players to its still developing professional league.
And what would the reaction of the PWR committee be?
*A Census of NEQPs in Round Four (starting XVs only)
Bears 5
Chiefs 8
Glos-Pury 4
Lightning 5
Quins 9
Sale 8
Saracens 5
Trailfinders 7
Tigers sit this round out.
