Leicester Tigers reveal the who, when and where of their new women's team
Leicester Tigers have revealed a “ground-breaking agreement” with women’s rugby side Lichfield RUFC which will see a Lichfield Leicester Tigers team competing in Championship North 1 in the new season.
Tigers confirmed that they would be a launching a women’s rugby side earlier this year, but were iniially a little a vague on detail. The club have now detailed how the side will operate, in what they are calling ‘the next step in the Tigers’ women’s rugby programme’.
In a statement from the club reads: “Lichfield have a long and proud record of work in developing the women’s game and this multi-year partnership will honour the efforts of everyone at the club who has worked so hard in putting women’s rugby on the map. The partnership will feature matches played both at Mattioli Woods Welford Road and at Lichfield’s Cooke Fields while coaching will be co-ordinated with the other women’s team at Lichfield.”
“Tigers will also support Lichfield through development work in the local community and with coaching of the girls’ junior teams.”
Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen said: “We have been determined to come out of the pandemic a better club, and that means a club for all.
“We have had a good relationship with Lichfield over many years and their influence on the women’s game has been massive, not least in developing numerous internationals including Vicky Macqueen, Emily Scarratt and Heather Fisher.
“Lichfield will be fantastic advisors on our journey and we will work with them at all levels to ensure their legacy continues and more women and girls take up the game.
“We can’t wait to see Lichfield Leicester Tigers in action while continuing to develop the women’s and girls’ game across our region with clubs, schools and universities.”
The Lichfield agreement follows the announcement of a performance partnership with Nottingham Rugby for the men’s team and former England international Vicky Macqueen who has been appointed head of the women’s rugby programme at Tigers feels it is a crucial element to Tigers development pathway.
She said: “Lichfield were pivotal in my own development as a player and I am very excited to get started with the support of such a great club and to offer some great opportunities to the players.
“By partnering with a club like this, we feel we’ve hit a good balance of working towards an elite team while not taking players away from teams across the board.
“We will, though, be looking for more players to get into the game through our trial days.
“The goal of the women’s team will be to play at the highest level possible but, with the Allianz Premier 15s line-up ring-fenced until the 2023/24 season, Leicester Tigers will take the next two years to build the right relationships and make sure we are a force for developing the women’s game.”
After a long history of operating at the highest level, Lichfield missed out on a place in the top league when it was restructured in 2018 but have since consistently operated at the top of the Championship and have another women’s team playing at Level 3.
Roz Jermine, Head of Ladies’ Rugby at Lichfield, said: “Lichfield are really excited to be involved in this opportunity and for the team to run out at Mattioli Woods Welford Road for the first time will be amazing.
“We’ve always worked really hard to get as many involved in playing rugby as we can and then give all of our girls the chance to get as high as possible in the game.
“Everyone at Lichfield is really looking forward to working with the Tigers team on a regular basis and getting even more players into the game and them progressing into successful Lichfield and Tigers squad for years to come.”
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments