2025/26 PWR player movement: New faces and changes of allegiance

With the celebrations of the Rugby World Cup now in the rear-view mirror and the focus on women’s rugby at an all-time high, this could be the most exciting season yet for the PWR.

Gloucester-Hartpury pulled off the three-peat but can they continue to dominate without Sean Lynn pulling the strings at head coach? Can the return of the best player in the world Sophie de Goede propel Saracens back to the top? Will we see some new faces in the top four? Where will Abby Dow sign?

There are lots of questions to be answered but one thing we can say for sure is that every club will look a little different and some have gone through drastic change, so read on to see the joiners and leavers across the league.

Bristol Bears Women
In: Rhea Clarke (Edinburgh), Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning), Gwennan Hopkins (Gloucester-Hartpury Women)

Out: Amber Reed, Ilona Maher, Gabriella Nigrelli, Lucy Burgess, Courtney Keight, Holly Aitchison, Deborah Wills, Helene Caux, Ellie Marston-Mulhearn

Exeter Chiefs Women
In: Gabriella Nigrelli (Bristol Bears Women), Sofia Bekir Fuente (Crat A Coruna), Maddie Grant (Harlequins Women), Lola Whitley, Zoe Dare (both Gloucester-Hartpury Women), Francesca Granzotto (Unione Rugby Capitolina), Amy Rule (Matatu), Eleanor Hing, Hannah Bluck (both Brython Thunder), Maddie Flutey (Otago Spirit)

Out: Rachel Johnson, Poppy Leitch, Flo Long, Ebony Jefferies, Stef Evans, Molly Saunders, Lori Cramer, Charlie Jacoby, Niamh Orchard, Georgina Tasker, Ellie Cunningham, Zara Feaunati, Kanako Kobayashi, Mairi McDonald, Mikiela Nelson, Taylor Perry, Millie Whitehouse, Clara Neilson

Gloucester-Hartpury Women
In: Alaw Pyrs (Gwalia Lightning), Sophie McQueen, Abi Pritchard, Daisy Aspinall, Molly Bunker, Seren Lockwood (all Hartpury University)

Out: Kathryn Buggy, Beth Stafford, Gillian Boag, Carmen Castelluci, Sophie Tandy, Lola Whitley, Abileigh Priestnall, Zoe Dare, Lucia Scott, Gwennan Hopkins, Lisa Cockburn

Harlequins Women
In: Meg Barwick (Trailfinders Women), Sophie Tansley, Fiona McIntosh, Coreen Grant (all Saracens Women), Natasha Logan (Edinburgh), Lucy Burgess (Bristol Bears Women), Aoife Wafer (Leinster), Joanne Vosakiwaiwai, Summer Charlesworth, Solana Shaw De Leon, Grace Keel, Joy Okechukwu (all Harlequins Centre of Excellence), Manuqalo Komitai (London Irish Emeralds/Army Rugby)

Out: Harriet Millar-Mills, Babalwa Latsha, Chloe Benjamin, Jemima Moss, Rebecca Grogut, Isa Prins, Bee Leonard, Maddie Grant, Freya Bell, Florence Neller, Kirsty Hillier, Lucy Heryet, Lauren Poole, Emma Blackburn, Jemima Moss

Leicester Tigers Women
In: Amber Schonert (Sale Sharks Women) Karolina Kacirkova, Ellie Turner, Samantha Williams, Rowann Sinclair, Danni Solly, Ella Mae Fereday (all Lichfield Ladies), Abi Coleman, Beth Cregan (both Power House RFC), Jemima McCalman (Blagnac Rugby Féminin), Easter Savelio (ACT Brumbies), Lucy Weaver, Amelie Anstead, Grace Deane, Katherine Baverstock (all Loughborough Lightning), Deni Ross (Queensland Reds), Kristin Bitter (Denver Onyx), Eneka Labeyrie (LOU Rugby Femenin), Abileigh Priestnall (Gloucester-Hartpury Women), Abbie Lamb (Bath Ladies) Alicia Watkins, Bethany Taylor (both Cheltenham Tigers), Georgie Lingham (GB 7s), Micke Gunter (Pretoria Bulls Dasies), Emerson Allen (TV Gemini), Lauren Poole (Thurrock Ladies), Zara Pickwick (Buckingham Swans), Hermione Farmer (Novocastrians), Summer Reeves (City of Oxford), Olivia Tallon (Old Belvedere)

Out: Meg Jones, Amy Cokayne, Charlotte Fray, Francesca McGhie, Natasha Jones, Claire Gallagher, Tahlia Brody, Keia May Sagapolu Sanele, Eva Donaldson, Evie Wills, Celia Quansah, Leah Bartlett, Sophie Benavent, Katie Childs, Abbey Constable, Catha Jacobs, Roisin McBrien, Julia Omokhuale, Amy Relf, Nikki Simpson, Amanda Swartz, Amelia Tutt

Loughborough Lightning
In: Tahlia Brody, Keia May Sagapolu Sanele (both Leicester Tigers Women), Lucia Scott (Gloucester-Hartpury Women), Tamsin Baynes, Ashton Adcock (both Loughborough College), Rachel Ehrecke (Denver Onyx), Fancy Bermudez (Saracens Women)

Out: Rachel Malcolm, Hallie Taufoou, Emma Wassell, Lucy Weaver, Katherine Baverstock, Amelie Anstead, Grace Deane, Katherine Baverstock, Sydney Mead, Krissy Scurfield, Cieron Bell, Abby Duguid, Issy Winter, Emily Scarratt

Sales Sharks Women
In: Carmen Castelluci (Gloucester-Hartpury Women), Amy Cokayne, Charlotte Fray, Eva Donaldson, Evie Wills, Leah Bartlett, Sophie Benevant, Katie Childs, Amy Relf (all Leicester Tigers Women), Courtney Keight, Holly Aitchison (both Bristol Bears Women), Rhona Lloyd (Stade Bordelais), Sharifa Kasolo (Saracens Women), Shona Campbell (GB 7s)

Out: Lauren Delany, Catie Benson, Indi Perris-Redding, Eloise Hayward, Elizabeth Shermer, Meg Fisher, Niamh Swailes, Sofia Stefan, Jess Panayiotou, Amber Schonert, Sophie Hopkins, Hollie Bawden, Robyn Wilkins

Saracens Women
In: Jess Taylor, Erin Delia, Maisy Herbert (all Saracens Centre of Excellence), Liz Crake (Trailfinders Women), Deborah Wills (Bristol Bears Women), Julia Omokhuale, Amelia Tutt (both Leicester Tigers Women), Laetitia Royer (ASM Romagnat Femenin), Jemima Moss (Harlequins Women), Jodie Verghese (Loughborough University), Morgan Freeman (Phoenix Rugby 7s), Sydney Mead (Loughborough Lightning)

Out: Jeani Loyola, Sophie Tansley, Fiona McIntosh, Coreen Grant, Sharifa Kasolo, Fancy Bermudez, Maya Montel, Bryony Cleall

Trailfinders Women
In: Rachel Malcolm, Emma Wassell (both Loughborough Lightning), Niamh Swailes (Sale Sharks Women), Meg Jones, Francesca McGhie, Claire Gallagher, Celia Quansah (all Leicester Tigers Women), Haidee Head (Queensland Reds), Alana Borland (née Bremner), Georgia Ponsonby (both Matatu), Cana Williams (Gwalia Lightning), Manon Johnes (University of Canterbury, New Zealand), Flo Long, Mikiela Nelson (both Exeter Chiefs Women), Isla Norman-Bell (GB 7s), Kim Grundy (RAF RU), Maya Montiel (Saracens Women)

Out: Rowena Burnfield, Meg Barwick, Abby Dow, Tyson Beukeboom, Fiona Cooper, Liz Crake, Kendra Cousineau, Sarah Denholm, Rosie Dobson, Kat Evans, Lindelwa Gwala, Kaylee McHugh, Liz Musgrove, Paige Stathopoulos, Andrea Stock, Kie Tamei, Chloe Rollie, Caity Mattinson