Saracens Women

Saracens Women (/ˈsærəsənz/) is a women's rugby union club based in Hendon, London, England. They were founded in 1989 and play in the Premier 15s.[1] They are the current reigning Premier 15s champions. They are also the women's team of Saracens Amateurs, who themselves are affiliated to English Premiership team, Saracens.

Saracens Women
Full nameSaracens Women
UnionMiddlesex RFU
Founded1989
LocationHendon, London
Ground(s)Allianz Park (capacity: 8,500)
Captain(s)Lotte Clapp (1st XV), Kate Skelton (2nd XV)
League(s)Women's Tyrrell's Premier 15s
Current season

History

Saracens Women were formed in 1989, starting in and winning the second division in its first season and making it to the Women's Premiership for the 1990 - 91 season. They have rivalries with fellow London sides, Richmond Women and Wasps Ladies.[2] In 2006, Saracens won the Women's Premiership. In 2007 they retained their title by going unbeaten through the league season.[3] In 2005, Saracens Ladies II had points deducted for fielding an underage and unregistered player.[4] In 2007, Saracens Ladies II finished second in the league after losing their final game against Bath Ladies after having been unbeaten until that match.[5]

In more recent times Saracens Women have achieved success in the Premiership and Cup.

Until 2014 Saracens Women played their home games at Bramley Sports Ground and occasionally at Vicarage Road, the home of Watford FC, when the Saracens men's team, to whom they are affiliated, moved home games there in 1997. In 2014, Saracens Women agreed with the Saracens team that they could play home matches at the men's recently opened home ground Allianz Park in Barnet. That continues to be their home ground for Tyrrells Premier XVs and A League games.

Saracens Women currently field two teams, the First XV in the Premier 15s, and the Development XV in the Premier Development league.

Saracens have won the Tyrrells Premier XVs in 2018 and 2019.

Notable players

Saracens Women have provided players to the England women's national rugby union team including founder England players Sam Robson, Emma Mitchell, Janis Ross, Jane Mitchell, Fiona Barnet and Welsh international Liza Burgess. England's most capped hooker, Amy Garnett played for Saracens.[6] Maggie Alphonsi, who also was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby, played for Saracens Women until her retirement, after winning a league and cup double, in 2015.[7] Lee Adamson coached Saracens Women before leaving to coach the Scotland women's national rugby union team in 2007.[8] Poppy Cleall, Marlie Packer, Vicky Fleetwood are World Cup runners up from the 2017 World Cup and currently at the club.


References
  1. "Saracens Women". RFU. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. "RFU Premiership kicks off this weekend with triple bill of London rivalry clashes". Sportsister. 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  3. "Saracens crowned champions". ESPN. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  4. "Saracens Women docked league points". RFU. 2005-10-27. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  5. "Win at Saracens was three-year high says coach Deane". Bath Chronicle (archived at Highbeam). Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  6. "England Women clinch Grand Slam". BBC News. 2006-03-18. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  7. Orchard, Sara (2013-11-07). "Maggie "The Machine" Alphonsi purring again". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  8. "Adamson named Scotland coach". ESPN. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
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