Women's Premiership

Last updated

Women's Premiership
Sport Rugby union
Instituted1994
Ceased2017
Replaced by Premier 15s
CountryEngland (RFUW)
Most titles Richmond, Saracens (5 titles)

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 It was superseded in the 2017/18 season by Premier 15s.

Contents

History

Women's rugby in England was initially run by the Women's Rugby Football Union on a British Isles-wide basis. The Women's Premiership was formed in 1990 as the top tier of women's rugby in the British Isles. [1] In 1994, the Rugby Football Union for Women was formed and took over the management of women's rugby in England, including the Women's Premiership, after Scotland, Ireland and Wales left the Women's Rugby Football Union. [2] At the start, most of the teams in the league were University teams. [2] Since the RFUW took over and Professionalism was permitted in 1996, the university teams were gradually replaced by women's clubs associated with professional and semi-professional men's clubs as they were able to give the women's team the funding to be able to compete. [3]

Promotion and relegation in the Women's Premiership is determined by the lowest placed team playing against the winner of the Championship 1 North-South playoff. [4] If the Premiership team wins, there is no promotion and relegation that year. It is noted that promoted teams often fail to win during the regular league season during their first season in the Women's Premiership, including Old Albanians Ladies and Thurrock T-Birds, [5] who were relegated in 2013 after losing to Aylesford Bulls Ladies in the 2013 playoff.

During seasons that precede the Women's Rugby World Cup, promotion and relegation is suspended for that season. [4] In 2014, Thurrock appealed against this ruling to the RFUW, claiming that some Women's Premiership clubs were actively attempting to block promotion and relegation in Women's Rugby World Cup years. [6]

Premier 15s

For the 2017–18 season the RFU Council proposed to create a Super League, the Premier 15s with up to ten teams. The new system to be considered new and distinct from the existing Premiership. It was expected that all 8 teams from the Premiership would apply for the new league, together with several top Championship teams. [7] Seven of the eight Premiership teams were accepted into the Super Rugby competition (Lichfield being excluded), together with Gloucester-Hartpury Women, Firwood Waterloo and Loughborough Students (Lightning). [8]

2013-14 Teams and Locations

Below is listed the locations of the teams that participate in the 2013-14 Women's Premiership. [9]

United Kingdom England adm location map.svg
Arrows 12x12 w.svg
DMP
Locations of the 2012–13 RFU Championship teams
TeamCity/Area
Aylesford Bulls Ladies Aylesford, Kent
Bristol Ladies Bristol
Darlington Mowden Park Sharks Darlington, County Durham
Lichfield Ladies Lichfield, Staffordshire
Richmond Women Richmond, London
Saracens Women Southgate, London
Wasps Ladies Acton, London
Worcester Ladies Worcester, Worcestershire

Clubs Since 2003

[ citation needed ]

SeasonsTeamDates
4 Aylesford Bulls Ladies 2014-2017
1Blaydon Ladies2007
13 Bristol Ladies *2003-2005, 2008-2017
8 Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 2010-2017
5Henley Ladies2003-2007
15 Lichfield Ladies 2003-2017
2Old Albanians Ladies2011-2012
15 Richmond Women 2003-2017
15 Saracens Women 2003-2017
3Team Northumbria Ladies2008-2010
3Thirsk Ladies2004-2006
1 Thurrock T-Birds 2013
2Vale of Lune Ladies2006-2007
15 Wasps Ladies 2003-2017
15 Worcester Valkyries Ladies 2003-2017

Dates are the year the season ended.

Champions

YearsWinning Team
2002–03 Wasps Ladies
2003–04 Wasps Ladies
2004–05 Wasps Ladies
2005–06 Saracens Women
2006–07 Saracens Women
2007–08 Saracens Women
2008–09 Saracens Women
2009–10 Richmond Women
2010–11 Richmond Women
2011–12 Richmond Women
2012–13 Worcester Valkyries
2013–14 Richmond Women
2014–15 Saracens Women
2015–16 Richmond Women
2016–17 Aylesford Bulls Ladies
TeamWinsWinning Years
Richmond Women 52010-2012, 2014, 2016
Saracens Women 52006-2009, 2015
Wasps Ladies 32003-2005
Worcester Valkyries Ladies 12013
Aylesford Bulls Ladies 12017

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C.</span> English rugby union club, based in Darlington

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Albanian RFC</span> English rugby union club, based in Hertfordshire

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The Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW) was the governing body for women's rugby union in England. In 2014 the RFUW and Rugby Football Union (RFU) combined to be one national governing body. The headquarters are at Twickenham Stadium, London.

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.

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 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.

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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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References

  1. "RFU Women's Premiership". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Women's Rugby – Then and Now". RFU. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  3. Paul Trow (24 November 1996). "Lessons of the sisters in arms". The Independent. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Bulls Ladies secure Premiership place". Kent Sports News. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  5. "Premiership race going to the wire". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  6. Clark, Frazer (29 January 2014). "Saracens and Richmond Borough to blame for T-Birds". Thurrock Gazette. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  7. "England reveal top new women's competition". Scrumqueens. October 2016.
  8. "Women's Super Rugby to launch in England". Scrumqueens. February 2017.
  9. Ali Donnelly (5 September 2013). "Women's rugby Premiership preview". BT. Retrieved 8 March 2014.