Bath talks ‘productive’ with PWR about women’s team joining top league

Bath are having “productive” and “collaborative” conversations with the PWR about a women’s team one day joining the league says their chief executive.

Bath applied to enter a new women’s team in Premiership Women’s Rugby in 2023 when the league rebranded but were unsuccessful at the tender stage.

The PWR is currently made up of nine clubs and while expansion has been ruled out for 2026-27, beyond that is undecided.

“The conversations that we’re having with the PWR now are much more collaborative in nature, being able to take a longer term view to plan for that entry in the future in a way that means we can build a player performance pathway,” Tarquin McDonald, Bath chief executive told BBC Sport.

“Also having that commercial runway so we can enter in a sustainable way. What’s really good is that those relationships and conversations with the PWR are very productive.”

The reigning men’s Prem champions are one of just three men’s top flight clubs – along with Northampton and Newcastle – currently without a top tier women’s outfit.

They partnered with existing team Bath Ladies in 2021 – who have a team that plays in the Championship 1 South, the second tier of the women’s game in England – and made a pledge to grow the sport across the region.

PWR executive chair, Genevieve Shore, said the league was “open to talking to anyone” who is interested in investing in the women’s game and it was “exciting” Bath wanted to join.

“We are willing to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to that end,” Shore said.

“Bath Rugby are incredibly committed to their women’s programme, and it’s exciting that a club as prestigious as Bath is interested in joining the PWR.”