Wasps FC Ladies are thrilled to announce that we have successfully secured a place in the Tyrrell’s Premier 15s competition for the next three seasons alongside 5 highly competitive squads across England.

“The Tyrrell’s Premier 15s competition has sparked major changes in Women’s Rugby both on and off the pitch. We have worked incredibly hard to build a performance environment for players to develop in and it is a testament to those players that pull on the black and gold jersey week in week out that we have the opportunity to continue to be part of the Tyrrell’s Competition in the future!” Giselle Mather, Wasps FC Ladies DoR

This year sees Wasps FC Ladies celebrate their 35th Anniversary. Founded by Sue Martineau in 1984, we are the oldest Women’s team in the current premiership alongside Bristol Bears, formerly Clifton Ladies, and with this we have witnessed the development of the Women’s game over the years. We have played in the Women’s Premiership since 1991 and have lived through both the highs and the lows of the game- celebrating league wins, and at times, battling it out at the bottom of the table.

“I feel so proud of all the hard work, determination, competitiveness and commitment that has been shown by every single person involved in the Wasps Ladies FC set up, to get us into the next step of this journey towards professionalism - and can't wait to see what we can achieve. This February we celebrate our 35th year as a women's section, and get to dine with the legends who've paved the way before us, so that we can remain inspired to pave the way for those that follow.” Kate Alder, Wasps FC Ladies Captain

We have been privileged to grow and host a wealth of England internationals from the likes of legends Sue Day, Shelley Rae and “Nolli” Waterman and current stars of the game Abby Dow, Harriet Millar-Mills and Claudia MacDonald- not to mention Claire Purdy, who has just celebrated her 250th Cap for the club. And going further a field, the current squad boasts experience from across the globe in the way of Isabel Rico, Edel McMahon, Nora Baltruweit, Cliodhna Moloney & Claire Molloy.

In 2017, Wasps FC Ladies bid successfully to be part of the Tyrrell’s Premier 15s Competition. Led by Director of Rugby Giselle Mather, we are hugely proud to have had a successful start to the competition, securing a place in the play-offs and top 4 position in the table for the first two years- an achievement we are hoping to repeat this season.

Wasps FC Ladies have been an integral part of the development of the Women’s game. The display of skill, strength and speed on the field intensifies week on week, and with it the level of competition. However, it’s not just on the field where changes are evident- behind the scenes Clubs are constantly developing to support the progression of the game. We are seeing an amateur sport turn professional with contracts being offered to players at a club level for the first time.

“I think this weekend was a timely reflection of the impact the TP15's has had on women's rugby right across the board. All the games on the weekend were fiercely contested, with players like Cliodhna Moloney, Edel McMahon and Rhona Lloyd who have picked up their lives and relocated to play in the TP15's league, showing the platform this league gives to international rugby . Also, young players like Maud Muir and Amelia Harper are getting the chance to train against world class players, and become world class in their own right.” Kate Alder, Wasps FC Ladies Captain

We strive to attract, develop and inspire elite athletes and through the recent developments in the Women’s game we are able to guide them in their Rugby journey - supporting them as players both on and off the field and challenging them to reach their full potential. We are able to offer players support in the way of day time training sessions, strength & conditioning, performance analysis and nutrition- and this is just the start! This season also saw the addition of LJ Lewis to the coaching team alongside Ollie Bishop. She has not only brought a wealth of rugby experience to the squad, but has also called upon her ties with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and brought key elements of the sport into her coaching.

Our relationship with Wasps RFC has also strengthened in recent years. Next month will see our 1XV play at the Ricoh Arena alongside the men for the second time at the Wasps Heritage Day on the 28th March- a day that aims to bring together fans, new and old to celebrate everything that is black and gold.

“We have an incredibly strong bond with Wasps FC at our home in Twyford Avenue and we are hoping to enhance our relationship with the Wasps RFC and Wasps Netball over the next few years to bring together the “Waspie” family- creating a platform for elite athletes across all competitions and strengthening the Wasps brand” Giselle Mather, Wasps FC Ladies DoR

We are hugely grateful for the support we have received, without which this journey would not be possible. A huge thank you to our family and friends, to everyone at Wasps FC, to our key sponsors Vodafone UK and Samurai and all our individual player sponsors. It’s a hugely exciting time in the Sport of Women’s Rugby and we are honored to be a part of it.