Where are England's World Cup winners playing as PWR returns?

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Media caption,

Gloucester-Hartpury defeated Saracens in March to win a third consecutive Premiership Women's Rugby title

ByAlastair Telfer

BBC Sport journalist

The Premiership Women's Rugby season kicks off on Friday following England's World Cup triumph at Twickenham in September.

The World Cup final against Canada was played in front of 81,885 fans - a record for a women's rugby match and the second-highest attendance for a men's or women's World Cup final.

It was also the most-watched women's rugby match ever on UK television, with a record-breaking peak audience of 5.8 million viewers.

This season's Premiership campaign will look to build on the growth of women's rugby as the stars of England's all-conquering squad return to action.

England full-back Ellie Kildunne will be in action for Harlequins on Friday evening against a Loughborough side featuring Sadia Kabeya, the player of the match in the World Cup final.

The BBC will show the match live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, and will feature a live game every week of the season as part of a new coverage deal.

Prop forward Hannah Botterman and centre Meg Jones are among the big names in action across Saturday's two games.

England captain Zoe Aldcroft will be looking to lead Gloucester-Hartpury to a fourth successive title at Twickenham Stoop next June.

The defending champions start their campaign on Sunday against a Saracens side containing Canada's World Rugby women's player of year Sophie de Goede.

Kildunne said, external of the return to action: "It's one of those ones that you're kind of toying your mind around. You want time off, but I also miss it a lot."

There are 130 players from the World Cup in this season's PWR, including Ireland back-row star Aoife Wafer, Scotland's balletic wing Francesca McGhie, New Zealand prop Amy Rule and talented Spanish back Claudia Pena.

"The PWR is the best women's domestic league in the world, and we want to welcome all these new rugby fans with open arms," PWR executive chair Genevieve Shore said.

Opening fixtures

Friday, 24 October

Harlequins v Loughborough Lightning (19:30 BST)

Saturday, 25 October

Trailfinders Women v Exeter Chiefs (15:00 BST)

Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers (19:00 BST)

Sunday, 26 October

Gloucester-Hartpury v Saracens (15:00 GMT)

Here is a guide to the nine teams and a look at who England's World Cup winners play for.

Harlequins

Harlequins have two World Cup-winners in scrum-half Lucy Packer and full-back Ellie Kildunne.

A crushing semi-final defeat by Saracens came as a disappointment last season after a strong start in coach Ross Chisholm's first season, which included a 10-game winning streak.

Having retired from Scotland duty after defeat by England in the World Cup quarter-final, captain Jade Konkel will aim to drive the team forward from the back row alongside new signing Aoife Wafer.

Ireland number eight Wafer won this year's Women's Six Nations player of the championship award and is one of the best forwards in the world.

Spain back Claudia Pena, 20, is a lethal attacker and one to keep an eye on after signing a new contract in May.

Harlequins reached three finals in a row in the early years of the competition but have not played in the showpiece event since 2021.

The ability of Kildunne, who was voted the best player in the world last year and scored a stunning try in the World Cup final, makes Harlequins a threat for any team.

England players:

Lucy Packer

Ellie Kildunne

Loughborough Lightning

Loughborough Lightning finished sixth and outside the play-off spots last season.

Utility back Helena Rowland impressed when called upon by England in the World Cup, scoring a team-record 27 points against Samoa.

Flanker Sadia Kabeya won the player of the match in the World Cup final and still has room for growth in her game at the age of 23.

Lightning's Lilli Ives Campion and Emily Scarratt did not feature for England in the knockout stages, and Scarratt announced her retirement from playing this week but will stay on with Loughborough in a coaching capacity.

Given the shortage of front-line internationals, securing a play-off spot for the first time since 2020–21 will be the goal.

England players:

Lilli Ives Campion

Sadia Kabeya

Helena Rowland

Trailfinders Women

Media caption,

How tragedy freed world player-of-the-year nominee Jones

Trailfinders finished seventh last season and picked up five wins.

Head coach Barney Maddison signed a long-term deal in March and despite losing England wing Abby Dow he will be excited to work with centre Megan Jones.

Jones, who joins from Leicester Tigers, was a standout performer at the World Cup and started every game for England, earning a nomination for the World Rugby women's player of the year award.

Abi Burton was unable to force her way in as an England regular at the World Cup but scored twice against Wales to cap a dream international debut in March.

Having only joined the league in 2023–24, Trailfinders are building nicely as a club and were captained last season by United States skipper Kate Zackary.

It may be a season too early for a play-off push, but the signing of Jones shows clear intent of a club on the rise.

England players:

Abi Burton

Megan Jones

Exeter Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs reached back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023 and will have expectations of competing at the business end this season.

England flanker Maddie Feaunati came off the bench in the World Cup final and is an explosive ball carrier.

The 23-year-old's power will be needed more often after United States number eight Rachel Johnson called time on her Exeter career at the end of last season.

Claudia Moloney-MacDonald is the other England World Cup winner in the squad. After recovering from a second neck injury, she will be keen to make up for lost time.

The 29-year-old back will be out to prove a point after failing to play in the World Cup knockouts after starting the Six Nations decider in April.

Foreign imports have been key to Exeter's success, with Canada captain Alex Tessier - a standout performer at the World Cup - and United States prop Hope Rogers both central figures.

England players

Maddie Feaunati

Claudia Moloney-MacDonald

Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks finished bottom of the PWR last season and picked up only one win.

Another top performer at the World Cup, England lock Morwenna Talling, is joined this season by hooker Amy Cokayne - a try-scorer in the World Cup final, and fly-half Holly Aitchison.

Scotland wing Rhona Lloyd is another signing as Sale aim to climb up the table.

England players:

Amy Cokayne

Morwenna Talling

Holly Aitchison

Leicester Tigers

In April, Fraser Goatcher was named Leicester Tigers' director of women's rugby and Ross Bundy was appointed head coach.

Tigers are on their third boss in as many seasons and have finished ninth and eighth over the past two campaigns.

Losing Jones and Cokayne leaves them without an England international.

Scotland wing Francesca McGhie, who bagged a hat-trick against Wales at the World Cup, has also left the club to join Trailfinders.

The new coaching team have plenty of work to do.

Gloucester‑Hartpury

Gloucester‑Hartpury completed the three-peat in March but will now be aiming to win a title without Sean Lynn, who departed the club at the end of last season to become head coach of Wales.

Lynn took charge in 2020 and was influential in the rise of the champions, but there is continuity with scrum coach Dan Murphy stepping up to the top job.

Led by England captain Zoe Aldcroft and including scrum-half Natasha Hunt, Gloucester‑Hartpury have eight World Cup winners in their squad - the most of any side - and are favourites to secure another title.

Number eight Alex Matthews scored twice in the World Cup final, but just as important to the champions will be last season's PWR top points scorer Emma Sing.

The full-back has not been a regular for England but is a consistent high-level PWR performer.

England players:

Maud Muir

Mackenzie Carson

Zoe Aldcroft

Alex Matthews

Natasha Hunt

Tatyana Heard

Jade Shekells

Emma Sing

Saracens

Led on the field by Lotte Sharp and former England captain Marlie Packer, who has dismissed questions about retiring after the World Cup, last season's runners-up Saracens will be aiming to secure their first title since 2022.

England wing Jess Breach scored six tries at the World Cup, while fly-half Zoe Harrison also played a central role for the Red Roses.

Prop Kelsey Clifford, 23, stepped up during the tournament, scoring five tries to establish herself at the top level.

The return of Canadian utility forward De Goede, who missed last season because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury, could be the spark required for a title-winning campaign.

Despite Canada losing the World Cup final, the 26-year-old goal-kicking lock was voted the best women's player on the planet after only returning to action a month before the tournament.

"Hopefully we can put in a performance at club level [in the opening game] that matches the international level seen throughout the World Cup," De Goede told BBC Sport.

"That is so fans transitioning to club rugby can see it is of a high quality and can continue their excitement that they built through the World Cup."

England players:

Kelsey Clifford

May Campbell

Rosie Galligan

Marlie Packer

Zoe Harrison

Jess Breach