As of today, 17 July, the big names changing clubs are:
Abbie Ward- from Quins to Bristol
Leanne Riley- from Quins to Bristol
Rosie Galligan- from Sarries to Quins
Sarah Bonar- from Gloucester-Hartpury to Quins
Ellie Kildunne- from Wasps to Quins
Add to them Beth Blacklock (DMPDS to Quins), not an international, but exactly the sort of talented player who represents the most unwelcome trend on view in the Allianz Premier 15s: the move from the have-nots to the haves.
Of course she has every right to advance her career. The problem is, the top clubs keep on mopping up the best players in the kingdom, making the league table more and more predictable, the last thing it needs if it wants to attract the interest of the media and a wider public. The ban on spectators may not have been removed by the start of next season, so we won’t know whether gates are increasing as fast as was hoped. But it will take a major revolution for the next campaign to end with new outfits vying for the trophy.
Of those five major moves only Abbie Ward’s was totally predictable. Where one Ward goes, there goes another. West Ward ho! By contrast Leanne Riley’s was a huge surprise. She becomes one of a tiny handful of test players to move from a top-4 club to a middle ranker. (Apart from her I can think only of El Perry’s return to Glos-Pury from Sarries two years ago) This raises the Bears’ profile in an instant; you could imagine others following to Shaftesbury Park before the start of next season. They have a beautiful new performance centre to boast about.
Riley’s departure might have given Lucy Packer the chance to set out her stall for the England selectors. She flew out to San Diego as a replacement for the 2019 Super Series when Mo Hunt sustained an injury, but didn’t don a white shirt. But now Gerard Mullen has brought Emma Swords back from her short stay at Saracens, so Packer can’t be sure of regular starts even now.
Quins were easily able to make good the loss of a major star like Ward. Rosie Galligan has been plagued with illness and injury over the past two years, just when she was hoping to add to her debut England cap against Ireland in February 2019. In her absence other players inevitably made their mark, not least the Canadian Sophie de Goede, whom Sarries snapped up last season.
Quins have increased their forward strength by signing Sarah Bonar, the experienced Scottish lock. She was legally Gloucester-Hartpury property, though her appearances were strictly limited last season. With Amy Cokayne that will make two RAF officers on the books.
The latest move involving Ellie Kildunne is fascinating. She cites Shaunagh Brown as assuring her that Quins was the club to be at. Of course she had no need of that verdict; she knew it already. Quins has facilities not available to Wasps, one of the few Prem 15s clubs not to offer stands at its ground. Mullen will again have to decide which international stars to leave out each weekend. What a puzzle!
Can Exeter prove even stronger than last season? They were heavily dependent on overseas talent, so would need them to return to be sure of a successful reprise. If the pandemic has loosened its grip by September, then it’s possible the North American players will be minded to stay home – especially if national selectors prefer to have them on call for World Cup preparations. It would create worrying gaps in some clubs’ line-ups if that happened. But they are all aware of the high standards the AP 15s offers and may prefer to extend their commitment.
Clubs are always heartened when valued players sign on again. That is very true of Worcester Warriors, for whom all three Red Roses, Alex Matthews, Laura Keates and Lydia Thompson are returning.
Competition, what competition?
Last season there were more close games, more surprise results, higher standards all round; but the fact remains that if you aren’t a member of Sarries, Quins, Wasps or Lightning, you are unlikely to figure in an England shirt. Who, apart from Zoe Aldcroft, Sarah Bern, Mo Hunt, Matthews and Amber Reed, can we expect to force their way in over the coming months? Ward and Riley of course, but not even a fit Thompson?
So the message is: to bolster your chances, get invited to one of the Big Four, and preferably a London-based one. And there, not even Wasps can be sure of retaining its top talent; in recent seasons they have said goodbye to Amy Cokayne and Rochelle Clark, now Kildunne as well.
Elite women’s rugby in this country is a very small world. If the two most successful clubs, Sarries and Quins, go on picking off the leading talent to be sure of winning yet another glorious trophy, then the AP 15s will be the poorer.
Changes?
In one sense only nothing will change. The AP 15s is in the middle of a three-year block that started in September 2020. In other senses plenty could change; above all everyone will be hoping for an end to the law adjustments caused by coronavirus.
For the players it would mean returning to traditional rugby, the forwards especially blessed, as they would be allowed to scrummage to their heart’s content, rather than having to scamper all over the field like scrum-halves – a challenge they accepted admirably.
The coaches can return to more orthodox thinking in their planning. No more concern about facing free-kicks every thirty seconds. They can get the forwards on the scrum-machine and rejoice in normality. The administrators will be relieved too after a season that demanded instant but difficult decisions.
Please let me in!
In the background there will be the noise of clubs outside the elite ten rattling at the door for a possible entry in the season 2023-24. There are those who have made their ambitions crystal clear, others who merely harbour good intentions. Leicester Tigers are the latest to put their finger in the fire. What will Loughborough make of that?
