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The WRU is restructuring the top level of women’s rugby by replacing the existing Celtic Challenge teams, Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder, with new setups. The four professional men’s regions—Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons, and WRU-owned Cardiff—along with selected Welsh universities, are invited to bid for a ‘Celtic Challenge Licence’ to form two new teams by 2028.
Each team’s operating cost is expected to be £200,000 per season, with the WRU match-funding the clubs. Successful bids must meet operating standards set by the tournament organizers. The WRU has set a deadline of Friday, 2 May 2025, for expressions of interest.
Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley expressed enthusiasm, stating, “We would love to have a women’s team at St Helen’s,” where the Ospreys plan to play in 2025-26. Bradley, who supported women’s rugby at Gloucester during Hartpury’s three consecutive championship wins, sees this as a unique opportunity. The new teams’ coaches will be appointed directly by the WRU.
Who’s Paving the Way for a New Welsh Rugby Era?
The WRU has appointed Belinda Moore as Head of Women’s Rugby to spearhead the growth of the women’s and girls’ game. Moore, former chief executive of Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), is tasked with ensuring past cultural issues, such as sexism scandals, are eradicated.
Wales captain Hannah Jones expressed hope, saying, “I’m hoping [Moore] is going to continue to make it better, and it’s her on to make sure it never happens again so that players don’t go through what I went through.”
Sean Lynn, who led Gloucester-Hartpury to three consecutive PWR titles, was appointed head coach of the Wales women’s team in January 2025, replacing Ioan Cunningham. Jones praised Lynn’s impact, stating, “It feels like a breath of fresh air. With a new head coach, ‘Lynny’ brings a different energy and experience.”
She added, “He’s a very passionate, proud, Welshman, so it’s nice to see him bring that energy from club to country and have that winning mindset.” Lynn’s appointment rekindled Jones’s commitment to international rugby, as she noted, “Once they’d announced Sean Lynn, the excitement built and I thought I can do this.”
The WRU plans to establish a new women’s rugby lead role in 2025, to which the head coach will report, setting strategy for the women’s and girls’ game as part of the high-performance team. This follows Nigel Walker’s departure as executive director of rugby, amid a review of men’s high-performance structures.
How Did a Contract Scandal Reshape Welsh Rugby?
The WRU has faced significant criticism over its handling of women’s rugby, particularly following a 2023 BBC Wales investigation that revealed a sexist, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic culture within the organization. An independent review in 2024 exposed “serious failings” in contract negotiations with the senior women’s team, prompting an apology from the WRU.
Allegations surfaced in October 2024 that the WRU threatened to withdraw the women’s team from the 2025 Rugby World Cup if players did not sign new contracts, which reportedly included clauses to avoid paying travel expenses.
Hannah Jones described the contract saga as “disgraceful,” noting it caused players to become “unwell physically and mentally” and led her to consider international retirement. She said, “The stress of the contracts and what we’d been through as a squad was disgraceful and disappointing.” Jones highlighted the emotional toll, stating, “It was very emotionally distressing. I deal with stress and pressure quite well, but a lot of my players were becoming unwell physically and mentally.”
The negotiations were a distraction, as Jones explained, “You don’t know whether you’ve got a job one minute or not, you don’t know if you’re able to pay your mortgage, you don’t know if you’re able to feed your family.”
The WRU responded with reforms, including transparent negotiation processes, third-party involvement for players, and treating contracted players as primary employees. The union also introduced ‘Have a Voice’ sessions to support players’ mental and physical well-being and plans to benchmark progress against other rugby governing bodies. Chief executive Abi Tierney acknowledged, “It is important and right to note that apologies have been made on behalf of the WRU for our role in protracted negotiations.” She added, “By bringing matters to our attention in August, our players have been instrumental in helping us establish a new way of working together.”
Can Wales Women Break Free from Six Nations Struggles?
The Wales women’s team has struggled in the 2025 Six Nations, facing a 67-12 defeat to England and a 24-21 loss to Scotland, with expectations of a second consecutive Wooden Spoon. The team has made the second-fewest tackles (252) and missed the second-most tackles (65) in the tournament. Despite leading for much of the second half against Scotland, an ill-disciplined tackle cost them the game. However, the Scotland match showed improvement over the previous year’s 40-14 loss.
New defense coach Dan Murphy is working with Lynn to implement a Gloucester-Hartpury-style defense, leveraging the team’s talent, including Georgia Evans, Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, Abbie Fleming, and Keira Bevan. Jones remains optimistic, stating, “Once the new system is in place, I am confident we’re going to be a very physical and hard team to beat.” The team has scored five tries in two games, nearly matching last year’s total of eight.
Jones emphasized a cultural shift, saying, “The big focus for us is just enjoying the Welsh jersey again, and that’s started to happen.” She noted, “I have seen a lot of progress in terms of our energy going into games recently.” Looking ahead to the Scotland match on 22 March 2025, Jones prioritized player happiness, stating, “A big result for me as captain is just seeing the girls happy in a Welsh shirt and enjoying their rugby in a Welsh environment again.”
Are Crowds Fueling a Women’s Rugby Surge?
Women’s rugby in Wales is gaining unprecedented popularity, with a record crowd of 21,186 attending the Wales vs. England match at Principality Stadium, the largest for any Welsh women’s home game in any sport. Jones highlighted, “It shows the sport is going in the right direction.” She credited trailblazers, saying, “This is all because of the trailblazers who pushed before us to allow us to have this professionalism, and now we’re doing the same, making the jersey better for the future players.”
Anna Davis, a Cardiff University player, noted the surge in fan support, stating, “In the past, men had more interest and more spectators. But in the last year, it’s proven that women’s football and women’s rugby are getting really big crowds and selling out massive stadiums.” She cited England women’s sold-out Twickenham match as an example. Mark Evans, a fan, advocated for more televised games, saying, “They should show more games on TV so young girls see rugby as a career, not just a hobby.”
Social media engagement with women’s rugby now outpaces men’s, according to a 2024 Deloitte report. However, a controversial post-match TikTok dance by Jasmine Joyce-Butchers with England’s Sarah Bern after the England defeat drew backlash, though Jones defended it, saying, “We’ve got a different brand to the men, and we’re not the same as the men, and that’s something people need to understand.”
Are Universities Building the Stars of Tomorrow?
Universities are playing a crucial role in developing women’s rugby talent. Cardiff Met’s women’s team, crowned Women’s BUCS Super Rugby champions after beating Loughborough, included 10 players who competed in the Celtic Challenge last season. Belinda Moore praised this achievement, stating, “It underlines that Wales produces rugby talent, and we just need to provide that talent with the opportunity and a stage to develop and flourish.”
Anna Davis emphasized the need for professional pathways, saying, “We need better facilities, more funding, and actual pathways into professional rugby, not just visibility.” She expressed her dream of playing professionally but noted its uncertainty, stating, “Yeah, I’d like to, but I don’t know whether that will happen. It’s a good dream to have.” Davis advocated for more professional contracts, saying, “It’s such a good step having professional contracts, and they are increasing every year.”
Why Does Funding Lag Behind Ambition?
Despite growing interest, funding and facilities remain significant barriers. Anna Davis highlighted disparities, stating, “More people are watching us now, but we still don’t have the same facilities or funding as the men’s teams.” She added, “Recognition is great, but investment needs to catch up.” Ian Backland, a WRU referee, acknowledged, “The quality is good, but not quite good enough yet. But as it gets better, then it will.”
The WRU’s investment in the Celtic Challenge, with two teams, is a step forward, as Davis noted, “WRU have put two teams into this league, so it increases.” However, limited professional contracts force many players to balance rugby with other careers, with Davis saying, “We just play for fun. In the end, it’s about loving the sport.”
Can Wales Tap into Global Rugby’s Momentum?
Women’s rugby globally is experiencing a surge, with a 2024 Deloitte report projecting elite women’s sports to surpass $1 billion in revenue. In England, Harlequins set a world attendance record for a women’s club game with 18,055 fans at Twickenham in December 2024, and ticket sales for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, hosted by England, have broken records. Commercial interest is rising, with brands like Clinique sponsoring PWR.
The ‘Ilona Maher effect’ has boosted interest, with her 3.5 million TikTok followers driving attendance and merchandise sales for Bristol Bears. Moore highlighted England’s success, stating, “From my personal experience across the border, the English clubs have recognised the value and commercial opportunities available in women’s rugby.” The WRU aims to emulate this commercial growth in Wales.
Is 2025 the Year Women’s Rugby Redefines Wales?
The WRU recognizes women’s rugby as the fastest-growing area of the sport, with the 2025 Rugby World Cup set to be a “generational” moment. Moore described the Celtic Challenge restructuring as “a hugely significant and exciting moment for women’s rugby in Wales.” Tierney expressed optimism, stating, “We are confident that a positive outcome has been achieved and are grateful to all those who have participated for their honesty and constructive input.”
Players like Davis are hopeful, stating, “I think women’s rugby will become an integral part of Welsh sports in the future.” She encouraged young girls, saying, “Just go for it, just have fun, get stuck in. Don’t feel embarrassed, go for it.” Jones envisioned a transformed team, saying, “You’re going to see a different side to us. It’s a clean start.”
