Exeter Chiefs
Whither The Women?
By Chief-cum-Lately
May 2 2021
Chiefs women have just one game left to, hopefully, finish in 5th place in the league in their first season. A remarkable achievement by Susie and her coaching team. The Covid pandemic has most unfortunately prevented us from getting to know the personalities of the girls in the team as we would normally at Sandy Park. Full marks to Chiefs for live streaming all of our home games. What entertaining games they were. Bringing an end to Saracens unbeaten run of wins and the defeat of Harlequins being the highlights. To those of us not previously knowledgeable about the Premier 15s the scale of these achievements was made clear by England’s win over France in the 6 nations. No less than 9 of England’s starting 15 were from these two clubs with several more on the bench. The two young Chiefs players who started on the bench are maybe a sign of things to come.
We will probably be denied the chance to say a grateful personal goodbye to our visiting players from across the pond, the Pacific and even Europe but hopefully those of us with a keyboard will send their thanks directly to Susie and the girls electronically. Let’s hope that despite any RFU limits that may be in place, we will see a significant bunch of the girls back at Sandy Park, just think what they might achieve in a second season! Professional women players in the UK were I think reluctant to sign for Chiefs at first. They were worried about disrupting their personal preparations for the world cup in New Zealand. Now that Exeter rugby has forged a reputation in women’s rugby maybe British players will be more willing to ‘trade up’ to The Chiefs. Perhaps this will enable us to replace some of the ‘foreign’ players we may have to lose next season but hopefully some will remain to experience the full Exeter Chiefs experience.
For many of us the Premier 15s has been a new experience. The RFU has, for once shown some leadership and some although very small investment in the women’s game. However some cracks are evident in the governance of the Premier 15s. One particularly bad instance occurred when a girl playing for Bristol Bears was badly injured and was reduced to crowd funding to raise the £2,500 needed to complete her medical treatment. Apparently the RFU covers the insurance for English qualified squad players but not for anyone else. Chiefs ensure insurance cover for their players but not all clubs do. Bristol Bears claimed that they couldn’t afford the full cost of their player’s treatment or the cost of semi professional insurance but it’s not just down to Bristol other clubs are involved too. The big question that must be addressed by the RFU who are the organisers and sponsors of the women’s league is how is it possible for a club to qualify for and join the Premier 15s league without full insurance cover for their players?
One consequence of this policy was evident in this year’s women’s six nations. The difference in class between the teams contesting the final and the other 4 teams was frankly embarrassing. It was entirely predictable. England and France field and support teams of professionals. The other teams are composed of amateurs. If these mismatches are allowed to continue the growth of the game will be stunted. What broadcaster could expect to generate a significant audience to watch France hammer Scotland and Wales again and again?
In their defence the WRU stated that some of their players play in the premier 15s professional or semi professional teams. This is true as we saw with a couple of the Exeter girls; but it was a welsh girl who couldn’t pay for her medical treatment when playing for Bristol but she wasn’t insured by or through the WRU. The RFU will argue quite reasonably that they are not in the business of funding non English players and/or teams. The answer surely is for the RFU to insist that all teams in the Premier 15s provide or ensure adequate insurance for ALL their players thus forcing the WRU and others to provide insurance for their players. Similarly the six nations organisation should insist that all teams fielded are at least semi professional or be barred from the competition. Rugby is first and foremost a contact sport and allowing full time professional women to run into small amateurs must be as dangerous for women as it is known to be for men. I believe that the RFU has suggested that the WRU and the SRU have teams in the Premier 15s. This would perhaps be a sensible solution. Effectively to make the Premier 15s at least a semi professional GB league. I suspect that the Welsh and Scots will plead poverty, perhaps even the Irish with even less justification.
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02/05/2021 23:38
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