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The Allianz Premier 15s is back: Predictions for the season ahead
This weekend sees the Allianz Premier 15s competition return to pitches around the country and also encouragingly to our screens, with all five opening round matches being broadcast on www.premier15s.com.
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As the popularity and awareness of the league continues to grow, so does the exposure with the RFU promising two fixtures per round to be live streamed throughout the season, plus quality highlights packages from the three non-streamed games to be produced.
RugbyPass takes a look at the ten teams competing to be the best in England this season.
Harlequins Women
Last season’s finish: Champions
The defending champions have held on to and lost talent in equal measure heading into this season. Club stalwarts and England Red Roses Abbie Ward and scrum-half Leanne Riley are both heading West from the capital to Bristol Bears with exciting Scotland full back Chloe Rollie also departing the club, however, the southwest Londoners have counteracted this by adding one of the league’s most dangerous attackers to their ranks, with Ellie Kildunne switching alliances from Wasps.
The club have also bolstered their second row options with Scotland’s Sarah Bonar joining after finishing her RAF Officer training and Rosie Galligan from Saracens, both will provide leadership at set piece for the women in quarters. It’ll also be the first time in over five years that former Forwards Coach Karen Findlay won’t be part of the Quins’ backroom team, with fans and players yet to see what type of impact this will have.
Predicted finish: 3rd
Saracens Women
Last season’s finish: 2nd
After being denied the chance to win three back-to-back titles by Quins in last season’s final, the north London side will not struggle for motivation this season. With big names re-signing for the club, such as Red Roses pair Marlie Packer and England Women’s Player of the Year Poppy Cleall, Canadian international Mackenzie Carson and player/coaches (with a casual 252 international caps between them) Rocky Clark and Tamara Taylor, you get the impression they won’t be taking their foot off the gas any time soon.
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The club has also attracted other overseas internationals with USA Eagle Carly Waters signing for the club at scrum-half. One notable departee comes in the form of formidable ball carrier Bryony Cleall, twin of Poppy, who has begun a new chapter at Twyford Avenue with Wasps Women.
Predicted finish: 1st
Wasps Women
Last season’s finish: 3rd
A name change is the not the only encouraging thing about this side this season. The team have just got back from a pre-season tour which saw them surfing, Army training and put through their paces with outdoor survival drills. The team haven’t lost any key players which suggests all is well under Head Coach Giselle Mather and means consistency and cohesion in the team. However, pen has been put to paper with the signings of speedster on the wing Jess Cooksey from DMP Durham Sharks, forward Lydia Crossman, flanker Kay Searcy, as well as the aforementioned prop Bryony Cleall, plus the re-signing of Welsh international centre Gemma Rowland. Falling short at the semi-final stage the past three seasons, they’re ones to keep an eye on this season.
Predicted finish: 2nd
Loughborough Lightning
Last season’s finish: 4th
This team were on the wrong end of some very tightly fought matches last season, and despite picking up five wins on the bounce in the second half of the year, their results were patchy, especially so when facing top three teams. Without standout player/coach Sarah Hunter for the majority of last season due to injury, the East Midlands side will hope to see more consistency in their play, and with go-to England players Emily Scarratt, Lark Davies, Helena Rowland and Detysha Harper in their squad, they’ll be hoping to get over the semi-final hurdle for the first time in their history.
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Predicted finish: 5th
Gloucester-Hartpury Women
Last season’s finish: 5th
Hosting an army of Welsh internationals and England stars Zoe Aldcroft and Natasha (Mo) Hunt, this West Country team quietly bubbled away last season, with new coach Sean Lynn fitting in seamlessly. Their dogged spirit showcased in every game saw them finish in the top half of the table last season, but whether they have the armoury and forward power to go one step further and stand up to the big dogs of Quins and Sarries remains to be seen.
Predicted finish: 6th
Exeter Chiefs Women
Last season’s finish: 6th
This team really were the surprise package last season. Despite it being a completely new team, with new players, coaching staff and performance set-up, the Devonians beat every team in the top four and were unlucky not to make the semi-finals. Head Coach Susie Appleby did well in her recruitment with the team attracting an eclectic mix of international talent including Dutch, Japanese, Welsh and American players, with the team flourishing under the play-for-each-other approach. With their first season under their belts, expect more of the same from this side this season.
Predicted finish: 4th
Worcester Warriors Women
Last season’s finish: 7th
Despite dwindling at the bottom of the table in previous years, last season’s finish was the best result in the Premier 15s era for this Warriors side. With the introduction of former club stalwart and now Head Coach Jo Yapp, the club has seen some of its bountiful potential reached with improved results and culture off the pitch. This season has also seen the re-signing of England internationals Alex Matthews and Lydia Thompson, plus powerful Welsh forward Sioned Harries. New signings for this season sees yet another American Eagle join the league with second-row Alycia Washington crossing the Atlantic, plus the addition of Japanese fly-half Minori Yamamoto.
Predicted finish: 8th
Bristol Bears Women
Last season’s finish: 8th
One team yet to fulfil their potential on the Premier 15s stage is Bristol Bears. Despite a wealth of international and local talent, consistency has been a problem in recent seasons. However, with key players retained and the signing of two players in key positions -second row and lineout guru Abbie Ward and scrum-half Leanne Riley, plus the arrival of new Head Coach Dave Ward, this season could see a vast improvement in results.
Predicted finish: 7th
Sale Sharks Women
Last season’s finish: 9th
Sale were the other new team added to the league last season alongside Exeter Chiefs. Life in the top tier turned out to be a baptism of fire for the Manchester-based side, not helped by the schedule of playing Saracens, Harlequins and Loughborough in their first four matches. The Sharks have attracted another world-class talent to their coaching set up as former Wales Women Skills Coach Rachel Taylor joins as Performance Coach, alongside Performance Lead and hugely respected former England fly-half Katy Daley-McLean.
Predicted finish: 9th
DMP Durham Sharks
Last season’s finish: 10th
It was a hard campaign for this newly merged team who joined forces with Durham University at the start of the season. The side managed to win one game in 2020/21, away at Bristol Bears. This result ended a winless run of 16 matches, with the Northeast side on the end of some of the league’s heaviest-ever defeats. This season sees the most capped Shark in the squad George Roberts named alongside Scotland’s Lisa Cockburn as co-captains, with the team no doubt hoping to tighten up their defence and avoid similar lopsided score lines.
Predicted finish: 10th
All 2021/22 Allianz Premier 15s fixtures can be found here.
? Game Week
? 5 big clashes
? Every match live on https://t.co/CWGtvVVSnpWHAT a way to kick off the 2021/22 season ??#MondayMotivation #Premier15s pic.twitter.com/opHfwykUlf
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) August 30, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments