TNT Sports Adds Rights to Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby to Strengthen Live Rugby Offering.

Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby will be shown on TNT Sports in a landmark agreement that will see more than 20 matches broadcast live on linear and digital platforms this season.

Representing an exciting new era in women’s rugby, the multi-year deal kicks off on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ on Saturday 18 November when Sale Sharks visit Bristol Bears (12:30 KO).

TNT Sports’ coverage of Premiership Women’s Rugby will showcase the best of women’s rugby, broadcasting one match each weekend this season, as well as both semi-finals and the final (22 June 2024).

The live action will be complemented by extensive and unrivalled coverage on discovery+ and the TNT Sports App, offering video highlights, match reports, and in-depth interviews, ensuring fans have access to the most up-to-date goings-on in Premiership Women’s Rugby, enabling rugby fans to meet and learn more about the stars of the sport.

The re-launched competition will feature nine sides from across the country for the 2023-24 season – Trailfinders Women, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, last year’s champions Gloucester Hartpury, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Loughborough Lightning, Sale Sharks and Saracens.

This league will feature the best players in English rugby including Marlie Packer, Abby Dow and Zoe Aldcroft and world stars like Beatrice Rigoni, Kate Zackary and Sophie de Goede.

Belinda Moore, Chief Executive of Premiership Women’s Rugby said: “This is a pivotal moment in the history of women’s club rugby in England, as we will see at least 21 Premiership Women’s Rugby matches broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ this season.

“For the first time, this ground-breaking partnership with TNT Sports will allow us to create an appointment to view each weekend for our fans and clubs, fundamentally changing the profile of the league. Research from the Women’s Sports Trust shows there are 1.5 million committed women’s rugby fans in the UK, which shows the potential of this partnership.

“We know the standard of rugby played in Premiership Women’s Rugby is exceptional and over the coming season, a huge number of people will enjoy their first taste of the League, to share our passion for the competition.

“We are ambitious to deliver significant growth in women’s rugby in England as we head towards Women’s World Cup 2025 and this partnership with TNT Sports will help us deliver that goal.”

Scott Young, SVP Content & Production at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “We are delighted to able to bring live coverage of arguably the best women’s domestic rugby competition in the world to TNT Sports viewers.

“There are many stories to be told across women’s rugby and we are delighted to partner with Premiership Women’s Rugby to tell these stories with a fresh approach that reflects the family-friendly, competitive nature of the competition.”

Upcoming matches selected for live broadcast coverage beyond the first week of the season will be publicised via the digital and social platforms of Premiership Women’s Rugby and TNT Sports in due course.

The re-branded Premiership Women’s Rugby competition replaces Premier 15s which originally launched in 2017. The contract for the rights to broadcast Premiership Women’s Rugby was agreed between TNT Sports and the Women’s Sport Group and strengthens its rugby portfolio with live Premiership Rugby and European Club Rugby competitions also screened on its platforms during the 2023/24 season.

For the full Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby fixture list click here.

Trailfinders were thrilled to see some of their pathway players selected for the England U18s training camp this weekend.

Five players from the Trailfinders Women Development Pathway were selected for the England U18’s Women’s training squad that took place this weekend at Warwick School.

Zara Green and Sophia MacDonald were selected from Cardinal Newman, along with Emily Lunn, Hayley Jones and Iley Bailey, who were all selected from Henley College.

Their selection follows a strong trend of Trailfinders Women players representing their country at U18 level, with Annabel Meta and Lauren Knowler recently representing England U18s before becoming senior Trailfinders Women players.

Head of U23s Oli Bishop said: “We are excited and very proud of the five talented athletes from the Trailfinders pathway that attended the England U18 training camp this weekend.

“They are members of Cardinal Newman School and Henley College who are our two U18 colleges that are the first major stepping stone of our elite pathway. We are delighted for them that their hard work and talent are being recognised at representative level.”

Trailfinders Women are thrilled to announce the signing of Cara Brincat.

Brincat signs from Worcester Warriors Women where the back-row played for seven seasons.

Her first taste of rugby was at Hungerford Rugby Club and Brincat would go on to represent England at U18 and U20 level, as well as representing her country in 7s at U18 level.

Alongside her rugby, the 25-year-old works as an Investment Advisor at Sport England.

After signing for Trailfinders, Brincat said: “I am really excited for what’s to come this season with Trailfinders. For me personally it’s a new environment, a fresh start and a new challenge.

“The support from the girls has been amazing coming into the club during the middle of the cup block and I am itching to get on the field with them all.”

Director of Rugby Giselle Mather said: “Cara is a fantastic addition to our squad. Her impact on the field is relentless as is her attention to detail.

“Her contribution in such a short space of time has been recognised by everyone and we are very much looking forward to her taking to the field on Saturday.”

Trailfinders Women announce the signing of Sofia Rolfi

Trailfinders Women are thrilled to announce the signing of Sofia Rolfi for the 2023/24 Allianz PWR and Allianz Cup season.

Rolfi joins from Italian side Rugby Colorno, where she has played for the last three seasons, earning her first cap for the Azzurri this month at only 22.

The Italian’s first taste of rugby was at Rugby Calvisano, after which she moved to England.

She would go on to play for Wasps for the 2019/20 season. However, this stint was cut in half as the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return to Italy.

Rolfi was selected for the Italian squad to go to the World Cup in 2021, and although she didn’t make an appearance, she gained a considerable amount from the experience.

After signing for Trailfinders, Rolfi said: “I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of this big new adventure with Trailfinders Women.

“I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible from my coaches and teammates, I’m here to improve as a player and as a person. I can’t wait to see how the season will go!”

Director of Women’s Rugby, Giselle Mather, said: “ Sofia is a very exciting young player with a huge thirst to develop.

“A very balanced runner with ball in hand and a strong defensive attitude we know she will be a genuine threat to opposition defences and we are really looking forward to seeing her make her mark on the PWR.”

Contested, the recently-launched social app built for sports fans, is thrilled to announce its partnership with Trailfinders Women, who are joining the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby this season.

The partnership demonstrates a shared commitment for innovation in sport, with ambitions to elevate the women’s game and shift fans’ attention to athletes and moments that deserve it.

As part pf the partnership between the two, the contested logo will be on the back of both the Home and Away shorts.

“We are excited to join forces with Contested,” said Giselle Mather, Director of Women’s Rugby at Trailfinders.

“This partnership empowers us to strengthen our bond with fans, showcase the spirit of our team, and inspire the next generation of players and fans in our sport. We have huge aspirations here, aiming for a huge crowd/with a target crowd of 2,000 for our first home game of the PWR season.”

Contested is transforming how fans engage with their favourite sports. The platform offers a new social experience, whether that’s debating predictions ahead of the game, diving into team news, or simply sharing the love for a moment of magic. Contested’s mission is to create a unique space for passionate sports fans to connect and contribute to the excitement of the game.

“We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Trailfinders” said Maggi Broadbent, Marketing at Contested.

“Our collaboration represents an extraordinary opportunity to elevate the game and provide fans with a platform to come together, share, and celebrate the achievements of these remarkable athletes.”

For more information about Contested and its partnership with Trailfinders, please visit www.ealingtrailfinders.com or email info@etprm.com.

About Contested App:

Contested is a social platform designed to enhance the way sports fans experience their favourite teams and athletes. With its interactive features, and community-driven content, the Contested app brings fans closer to the game and to each other than ever before.