Shock Exeter Chiefs result shows good things come to those that invest
In the biggest shock of Premier 15s history, newly-formed Exeter Chiefs beat title holders Saracens 22-14 on Saturday.
Saracens have long dominated the Premier 15s, winning the 2017-18 season and the 2018-19 season. The London team were on track to retain their title in the 2019-2020 season, before it was declared null and void due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Susie Appleby’s Exeter Chiefs side, on the other hand, played their first ever game of Premier 15s rugby against Gloucester-Hartpury on 10 October 2020, losing 34-14. Despite their newcomer status and underwhelming welcome, the team managed to secure a decisive win to end Saracens’ 33 match winning streak. This result hasn’t come from nowhere, it is the result of building an Exeter side with investment from the board into the women’s squad. Above all, yesterday’s game between two semi-professional women’s rugby sides highlighted exactly what happens when you invest in women’s rugby, and why it absolutely deserves to be broadcast on television. It was a thrilling, skilful, and exciting 70 minutes of rugby.
NO ENTRY ?@ExeterChiefs #Premier15s pic.twitter.com/V9tupqkQHV
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) January 30, 2021
In September 2019, Exeter Chiefs revealed their bid to join the Premier 15s, the highest level of elite women’s rugby in England. Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks were two new sides to join the league, and the Devon team’s chief executive, Tony Rowe, pledged to invest £500,000 in setting up the women’s side, with a further expected £1m to £1.5m over the first three seasons.
Red Roses fans will remember that in Autumn 2019, England played at Exeter Chiefs home ground Sandy Park against France, which at the time was a record-breaking audience for a Women’s Six Nations game in England, with an audience of 10,545 rugby fans. It was part of an England Rugby initiative to take women’s rugby to areas with high numbers of rugby fans, who might not travel to Twickenham to watch the Red Roses play. Months before, in February 2019, the Red Roses had their record attendance for a home Women’s Six Nations game with a crowd of 4,674 in Doncaster. It’s an idea the RFU borrowed from France, who had a world-record crowd of over 17,000 when France beat England in Grenoble. Moving the games around made women’s rugby more accessible for rugby fans in France, and England were smart to make a similar move in Doncaster and Exeter.
Last year, Rowe told The Telegraph: “When we looked at the demographics of the people who were buying those tickets, they were mostly, 95 per cent, sold in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, so we know there’s a big appetite down here for women’s rugby.”
Rowe continued: “Exeter Chiefs Women will play their games at Sandy Park and our intention is for them to be a main act. We will play the women on a different day to the men. We think there’s enough support for them down here to attract their own supporters and start their own fanbase.”
The potential of such a fanbase is yet to be seen, due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Rowe confirmed that the investment into the women’s side would not be affected by coronavirus.
The new side will attract rugby fans, as some huge international stars having made the move to Devon to play for the new club. England forward Poppy Leitch is joined by stars including USA captain Jennine Duncan and her teammates Gabby Cantorna and Kate Zackary, Netherlands captain Linde Van Der Velden, Japan prop Sachiko Kato, and a number of Canadian players.
Big smiles on the faces of the @USARugby women who are across the pond playing for @ExeterChiefs after their big win against @SaracensWomen on the weekend. And shout-out to Eagle's captain @katezack28 for her player of the match nod pic.twitter.com/V456BqyXbC
— Women Eagles (@USAWomenEagles) January 31, 2021
These players have been enticed to Devon with the professional set-up and investment promised by the Exeter board. The women’s squad shares the same training facilities as the men, they play at Sandy Park, and can access some of the same equipment as the men, including GPS trackers to assist performance. According to The Telegraph, the team even has its own chef, an almost unheard of luxury in the women’s game.
The players will receive a £100 match fee per game, meaning the side is a semi-professional set-up. £100 per game seems like an insufficient amount, but it is a start for the professional women’s game in the UK. For the players, I think the appeal of Exeter will be the long-term investment evidenced from the club, and the ability to access world-class training facilities not always afforded to the women’s sides. It’s also worth noting that the overseas players are assisted with accommodation and often help with securing jobs. For example, the club helped Captain Linde Van Der Velden to get a part-time job as an architect, alongside her rugby commitments, according to The Telegraph.
The ringfencing – in promise – of Exeter Chief Women’s funds is paramount to ensure the success of the side. For all rugby teams, the last year has seen a drop in income, and it is feared this will have a drastic impact on the growth of the women’s game. In October, Rowe admitted that Exeter Chiefs has lost £1million a month without fans at Sandy Park, but has confirmed they will still fund the women’s side. In October, the RFU announced that they would cut women’s rugby funding by 25 per cent, which meant each team in the Premier 15s received £56,250 this season, a reduction from £75,000.
Forgive me for my excitement here, but Exeter’s triumph against Saracens is a welcome relief to women’s rugby fans who want a more exciting and competitive domestic competition. It’s a sign of what’s to come, as more teams in the Premier 15s are sufficiently funded. Despite the financial uncertainty of coronavirus for clubs, there is good news. The Premier 15s does have a new sponsor, Allianz, who I believe should significantly fund the women’s domestic game.
Investment in women’s rugby is no longer a profitless gesture, but is proving a smart move in rugby hotspot Devon. Exeter Chiefs Women will undoubtedly build on their success and will welcome their fans into Sandy Park in large numbers as soon as possible. Exeter Chiefs Women will also grow their academy to allow local players to climb through the ranks, but Appleby has made it clear that first Exeter needs to be a truly competitive side.
Phenomenal defence from @ExeterChiefs ? #Premier15s pic.twitter.com/CAyvkUbuEz
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) January 30, 2021
This weekend’s clash was only available to stream online, via the Premier 15s website or on social media. It’s such a shame, as I would have loved to watch it on television. There were also issues for those who tuned in, as the commentary and sound was not working for the first part of the stream. Maybe there really isn’t the appetite for domestic women’s rugby on television yet, but with games as exciting as this, and rivalries as big as Saracens v Exeter now exclusively playing out in the women’s game, it’s genuinely riveting rugby.
Each week, Premier 15s shares the best tries of the week on social media, where fans can watch the likes of Bristol Bears’ Jaz Joyce score unbelievable tries. It’s worth watching, if you are still unsure of the quality of women’s rugby.
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments