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'It's a huge statement': Gloucester announce increased funding to women's team
Gallagher Premiership side Gloucester Rugby has today announced its extended commitment to Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC with a significant increase in funding to the women’s team from the 2022/23 season with captain Natasha Hunt arguing the investment shows the club’s clear ambitions for the seasons to come.
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Gloucester-Hartpury Women currently play in the Allianz Premier 15s having narrowly missed out on the play-offs this season, finishing sixth.
The Gloucester Rugby Board approved a proposal to increase the club’s central investment to the women’s team, matching the enhanced contribution from Hartpury University. Additional revenue will also be generated as a result of joint commercial rights to both the men and women’s teams with existing and new partners, including kit sponsorship. From the 2022/23 season both Gloucester men and Gloucester-Hartpury women will wear the same design of home strip.
As the Premier 15s league becomes more established, growing in playing standards, broadcast audience, crowd attendances, and professionalism since its inception in 2017, more and more Premiership clubs have seen the value in investing in their women’s sections and more closely aligning the men’s and women’s sides with regards to sharing facilities, hosting double headers and combining marketing efforts.
Currently the only club in the Premier 15s not to be linked directly to a Premiership side is Darlington Mowden Park Durham Sharks, who finished bottom of the table without a win all season.
Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC will continue to train and play at the Hartpury campus, with Gloucester Rugby continuing to host a number of Allianz Premier 15s fixtures at Kingsholm next season.
Hartpury College and University has proved an attractive and productive pathway for young female players in recent years with a host of players going on to represent their countries internationally including the likes of 2014 Rugby World Cup winners Alex Matthews, Hunt, and Ceri Large as well as current England players Zoe Harrison, Emma Sing, and Connie Powell coming through the Hartpury pathway programme.
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Hunt who is captain of the Premier 15s side and Senior Women’s Rugby Academy Manager at Hartpury University spoke exclusively to RugbyPass:
“It’s a huge statement, we’re excited to be supported by Gloucester, they’ve been brilliant with us over the season and you can feel the interest growing and the fact that they want us to become one club is huge for the women’s game. There are teams that are doing it very well already in the Premier 15s and for Gloucester to be trying to match that is incredible for us.
“Women’s rugby is in its own right an amazing sport and it can stand alone and do very well but to have the backing of the men’s team both Gloucester and Hartpury, both really established clubs, we’re doubly privileged to have the backing of both of them.
“And it’s not just financial support for example, George Skivington (Gloucester Head Coach) is very interested and will be aware of our results from the weekend and keeps a close eye on the league. He also pops into our team meetings or lineout meetings where he’ll ask questions, so to have someone at the top leading in that way is really important. Lewis Ludlow will also message us and check in regularly, so there really is a one club feel across the board which is so nice to be a part of.”
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Hunt explains how Gloucester-Hartpury has also provided her with career opportunities away from the pitch which has in turn helped her get back to playing her best rugby.
“I’ve been coaching the women’s BUCS programme at Hartpury along with Bethan Lewis (Wales international). I started the role after I left my England contract around a year ago. It became available when Liza Burgess moved on and went to coach at Worcester and I think that speaks volumes of the club being invested in what we want to do after rugby and them helping us both on and off the pitch.”
“Having the opportunity to get back in the mix and play for England again over the course of this year’s Six Nations, I’m not taking it for granted.
“One thing I’ve leant in my career is when I’m playing with a smile on my face it makes me a better player and I can’t speak highly enough of the guys at Gloucester-Hartpury for that because they’ve encouraged that out of me and I think I’m playing some of my best rugby at the minute, so full credit to them for getting me where I am.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
12 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
12 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments