Notable former players
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| Full name | Aylesford Bulls Ladies Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | RFU |
| Founded | 1998 |
Aylesford Bulls Ladies Rugby Football Club were a women's rugby union club based in Aylesford, Kent, England. They played in the Women's Premiership. They were founded in 1998 [1] and were the ladies team of Aylesford Bulls. Following an agreement with Harlequins, Aylesford Bulls initially received support from them however in 2017, they were taken over to become Harlequins Ladies. [2]
In 2006, Aylesford were promoted into Championship 2 South East after finishing top of their previous league unbeaten. Also in 2006, their captain Natalie Garrett died of cancer. [3] As part of a tribute, Aylesford Bulls have had NJG imprinted onto their playing shirts. [1] In 2008, Aylesford were invited to participate in the Dubai Exiles Rugby 7s where they played the England women's national rugby sevens team. [4] They were almost relegated in 2010, which led to an overhaul in the way the team was managed. This included inviting Germany women's national rugby union team head coach, Susanne Wiedemann to coach them. [5] The next year, they were promoted into Championship 1 after defeating Plymouth Albion Ladies in a promotion playoff. [1] In 2013, Aylesford defeated Thurrock T-Birds in the promotion play-off to be promoted into the Women's Premiership for the first time. [6] The next season, they took part in the first Women's Kent Cup. [7]
In 2017, Aylesford Bulls Ladies won the final Women's Premiership before the introduction of the Premier 15s league. Following this victory, Harlequins Ladies took over the team fully and took their position in the new league. [2]
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Darlington Mowden Park is a professional rugby union club, based in Darlington, County Durham, England. They currently compete in National League 1, the third division of the Rugby Football Union domestic league competition pyramid, having achieved promotion on 3 May 2014, after defeating Ampthill in the 2013–14 play-off. The club's former name, Darlington Grammar School Old Boys, was changed when they moved to Yiewsley Drive, which was located in Mowden. They relocated to The Darlington Arena, a 25,000 all-seater stadium in Darlington, purchasing the previously-vacated ground for £2 million; Yiewsley Drive had previously been sold to a housing estate company, and the Arena was previously owned by Darlington Football Club. They played their first game at the arena on 2 February 2013, in front of a crowd of over 1,000, comprehensively defeating Bromsgrove 62–7 in a National League 2 North league game.
The Women's Premiership, also called the RFUW Premiership was the top level of women's rugby union in England until 2017. It was formed in 1990 and was run by the Rugby Football Union for Women. It was superseded in the 2017/18 season by Premier 15s.
London 3 South East is an English level 8 Rugby Union League involving club sides from Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and the south-east London. It is made up of teams predominantly from London, Sussex and Kent. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
London 2 South East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.
Kent 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Currently promoted teams move up to Kent 1 and there is no relegation although until the 2007–08 season teams could drop down to Kent 3. Now a single division, in the past Kent 2 was divided into regional divisions - Kent 2 East and Kent 2 West.
Joseph Stephanus Theuns Lewies is a South African rugby union player for the Harlequins in the Premiership in England. His regular position is lock.
Darlington Mowden Park Sharks Ladies Rugby Football Club is a women's rugby union club in Darlington, County Durham, England founded in 1996. Their top try scorer Louisa Ramsey became the first player to score over 10 tries for Scotland. They are the ladies team of Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C. and played in the Allianz Premier 15s until 2023. They also play their home games at The Darlington Arena.
Bristol Bears Women, formerly Clifton Ladies RFC, then Bristol Ladies, is a women's rugby union team based in Bristol, England. They are a standalone, independent rugby club, running in partnership with the Bristol Bears since becoming affiliated to them in 2008 and play their home matches at Dings RFC in the Premier 15s.
Lichfield Ladies Rugby Union Football Club is a women's rugby union club based in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. They play their home matches at Cooke Fields and play in the Women's Premiership. They are also the women's team of Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club.
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Worcester Warriors Women, formerly known as Worcester Valkyries, are a women's rugby union club in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. They were founded in 1993, as Worcester Ladies, and play in the Premier 15s. They were originally created as the women's team of Worcester Wanderers, but became part of the English Premiership team Worcester Warriors' organisation ahead of the 2016/17 season. They subsequently became an independent entity during the 2022–23 season on the demise of their parent company.
Thurrock T-Birds, also called Thurrock Rugby Football Club Ladies, is a women's rugby club in Grays, Essex, England. The club began as a union side in 1988, however have also operated a league side since 2023. The union side plays in Championship 1 South after being relegated from the Women's Premiership in 2013, while the league side plays in the RFL Women's Super League South.
Gary Street is an English rugby union coach. He coached the England women's national team from 2007 and soon left his role after England won the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2014.
Harlequins Women, formerly known as Harlequins Ladies, are a women's rugby union club based in Guildford, Surrey, England and in Twickenham, Middlesex, England. They were founded in 1995 as the women's team of Harlequin F.C. and rebranded in 2017 after merging with Aylesford Bulls. In 2017, they were selected as one of the franchises for the new Premier 15s league, but they also cater for new, aspiring and social players within their 3rd XV squad.
Premiership Women's Rugby, officially known as Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby or The Allianz PWR, is an annual semi-professional women's rugby union club competition at the highest level of the English rugby union system, and is run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). It is contested by nine clubs who play two series of round-robin matches to determine the four participants of a single-elimination tournament. It began play in the 2017–18 season, superseding the former Women's Premiership, and introducing elements of professionalism in the sport's highest level. In its first six seasons, the competition was known as the Premier 15s. Gloucester-Hartpury are the current champions, while Saracens have won the most championships (3).
Leanne Infante is an English rugby union player. She made her debut for England in 2013 and was a finalist in the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. At club level, she plays for Saracens.
Ellie Miles is a women's rugby union player from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England who plays for Harlequins Ladies in the Premier 15s as a scrum-half or wing. She started her career at her hometown club Tunbridge Wells RFC and helped coach rugby at her school, Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School before joining Harlequins Ladies. She has been noted as an up-and-coming female rugby player.
Karen Ross Findlay is a Scottish police officer, rugby coach and former international player who played for the Scotland women's national rugby union team. She coaches Harlequins Ladies who compete in the Women's Premiership. She won 85 caps for Scotland and captained the side 52 times. She is currently a temporary commander with the Metropolitan Police.
Jessica Breach is an England women's national rugby union team international who also plays for Saracens.
Rosie Galligan is an English rugby union player. She is a member of the England women's national rugby union team and plays for Saracens at club level.
