Premiership Women's Rugby

A NEW era for women’s rugby in England kicked off on 1 July 2023 with the launch of Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) replacing the previous Premier 15s. Premiership Women’s Rugby will manage the Premiership Women’s Rugby club competition, which started in the autumn of 2023.

There are nine clubs in Premiership Women’s Rugby, playing home and away across a season of 16 league matches, two semi-finals and a Final.

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The nine clubs are:

• Bristol Bears
• Exeter Chiefs
• Gloucester-Hartpury
• Harlequins
• Leicester Tigers
• Loughborough Lightning
• Sale Sharks
• Saracens
• Trailfinders Women

The Women’s Premiership was initially formed (in 1990) and mainly made up of university sides instead of teams associated with clubs. The Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW) was created in 1994 after Ireland and Scotland decided to form their own women’s unions and took over running the Women’s Premiership.

Saracens Women are the most successful side since the turn of the century as they have secured the title 13 times, with Richmond, who last won the title in 2016, with five wins.