Shaunagh Brown relishing PWR play-offs

Shaunagh Brown cannot wait for the PWR play-offs and believes the season could end with a new name on the trophy.

Gloucester-Hartpury are bidding for a fourth straight title and have wrapped up top spot in the regular season, ensuring they will have a home semi-final.

But the reigning champions lost their unbeaten tag in Round 17, when they were beaten by Trailfinders, one of the three other sides making up this season’s post-season shootout.

Former Red Roses star Brown reckons that will give the chasing pack hope as they bid to stop the Circus in their tracks.

“I’m sure Gloucester would point to how different their team was to their regular starting team against Ealing,” Brown said.

“But that’s rugby, and that’s play-off rugby. You can’t just be good for the first 18 rounds, you have to be able to play in the semi-finals and final.

“That’s why I love play-off rugby rather than just having an out-and-out league winner.

“I think they are stoppable by all three of the other teams in the play-offs. We will see what happens but it is all to play for.”

Brown represented Harlequins with distinction over two spells but her former side narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

They finished their season by beating Leicester Tigers 50-29 on Saturday in what was an emotional occasion for the club, with Brown’s former teammates Lagi Tuima and Jade Konkel among the Quins stalwarts waving goodbye to the club at the end of the campaign.

“It does feel like the club is going into a new era, which will be interesting,” she said.

“I played a lot of rugby with Lagi and Jade, they are incredible people who always wanted the best. They grew themselves and changed themselves throughout their time at Quins, having been there from the early days.

“I am looking forward to seeing the vision for Quins and what their new era will look like without Jade and Lagi.”

Brown was speaking at the home of her first club, Medway RFC, to help launch Royal London’s annual Championing Women and Girls’ Rugby Award.

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The initiative, now in its third year, recognises four clubs per year, one chosen from each home union, who will receive a trophy plus a £10,000 grant to invest in their women and girls' programmes.

Guisborough and Lancaster Lionesses have been the prior English recipients and Brown, who sits on the judging panel, said: “The impact has been incredible to see but also tangible.

“It is nice to see a direct outcome of the money put in by Royal London, whereas in some bigger clubs it might just get consumed as part of their budget.

“The standout criteria for us is seeing where it is spent. The whole point of this is about legacy and the future of the women’s game, giving women and girls what they need to continue the game’s evolution.

“The first year, we had just under 130 applications, the following year was around 250. If we can get close to doubling that number again, that would be brilliant. It’s more reading for us but it’s all good stuff!”

Royal London, the only Founding Partner of The British & Irish Lions Women’s rugby team, has announced that applications are open for its annual Championing Women and Girls’ Rugby Award. Applications are open until 12pm on Monday 20 July 2026 via the Lions website