RFU and RPA announce landmark new contracts which will be given out to 32 players and run up to 2026; six transitional contracts also to be awarded; Two players currently on maternity leave will also remain contracted.
Thursday 8 June 2023 17:43, UK
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced new, enhanced contracts for England's women's team.
The three-season agreement through to 2026 will see 32 contracts awarded to Red Roses players - an increase from 30 - and incorporates the 2025 Rugby World Cup that will take place in England.
Six transitional contracts will also be handed out to "support aspiring Red Roses in their early professional journey and safeguard some of their week for dedicated rugby development".
Two players currently on maternity leave will also remain contracted in addition to the 32 contracts awarded.
The RFU says the contracts also feature significant enhancements to the agreements which as well as salary, cover match fees, Rugby World Cup 2025 arrangements, commercial and community engagement initiatives as well as an agreement around revenue sharing if business targets are exceeded.
The contracts are understood to represent a significant pay rise for Red Roses' players and offer greater opportunity for off-field endorsements.
The names of contracted players will be confirmed in July. They have been by incoming Red Roses head coach John Mitchell and his coaching staff as well as executive director of performance Conor O'Shea and head of women's performance Charlie Hayter.
"The new contracts are a significant development and a mark of the advancement in the women's game since they were first awarded," O'Shea said.
"We have led the way with the introduction of contracts as well as provision such as the ground-breaking maternity policy introduced earlier this year for our female athletes."
England prop Sarah Bern said: "The new contracts are a really great development for us as a playing group and I was pleased to be able to represent the Red Roses in the discussions for these new arrangements.
"It's a reflection of how far things have moved on in the women's game and will support us as professional athletes as we work towards the World Cup."
Christian Day, general secretary of the Rugby Players' Association, said: "As the world's No 1 ranked women's team, the Red Roses have long been trendsetters in terms of both on-field performance and the off-field support made available to players.
"To maintain this position, and indeed to continue to grow the gap as other nations seek to level up, it was vital that the players contracts would be advanced at a time of unprecedented growth and opportunity for women's rugby.
"These ground-breaking new contracts will enable the players to continue to push forwards as both professionals and as people as a home World Cup appears on the horizon for 2025."
