The RFU hailed a new era for women's rugby on Tuesday as it re-branded the Women's Premier 15s as Premiership Women's Rugby.
With new clubs to join the league next season in the form of Ealing Trailfinders and Leicester Tigers, replacing DMP Sharks and Wasps, Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) has been established to deliver a ten-year strategy for women's rugby in England.
With the league having just concluded its most successful season to date, with a record 15,420 in attendance for Exeter Chiefs' win at Harlequins earlier in the season and 9,668 watching at the temporarily re-branded “Queensolm” for their final defeat last weekend, the strongest women's league in the world is looking to move forward further.
PWR CEO Belinda Moore said: “Our ambition is to transform the league into the world's most competitive, progressive, and sustainable domestic rugby competition.
“Elite women's rugby in England has never been in a stronger place. We have just seen Gloucester-Hartpury win the Allianz Premier15s with a thrilling victory over Exeter Chiefs, in front of a record crowd at the newly-named Queensholm.
“The final was the culmination of a season which has confirmed that we have strong player talent depth as the foundation to grow the league over the next decade.
“The new era starts today, and the competition's new look and feel is designed to be powerful, dynamic, and eye-catching. It aims to capture the excitement and high energy of the league, the players, the fans, and the sport as a whole.”
The last 12 months have been impressive for English women's rugby at both a club and international level. England were beaten in last year's Rugby World Cup final but made it back-to-back Grand Slam titles in the Women's Six Nations in front a record-breaking 58,498 fans at Twickenham.
With the World Cup being played on home soil in 2025, the RFU will be hopeful that one of their few successes in recent times can gain a further boost off the back of the re-brand.
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