Harlequins Women

Harlequins Women, are a women's rugby union club based in Guildford, Surrey, England and in Twickenham, Middlesex, England. They were founded in 1995 as the women’s team of Harlequin FC and rebranded in 2017 after merging with Aylesford Bulls. In 2017, they were selected as one of the franchises for the new Premier 15s league, but also cater for new, aspiring and social players within their 3rd XV squad.

Harlequins Women

Full name	Harlequins Women
Union	RFU
Nickname(s)	Quins
Founded	1995 (2017 reformed)
Ground(s)	Surrey Sports Park, Twickenham Stoop
Coach(es)	Karen Findlay, Gary Street
Captain(s)	Rachael Burford
League(s)	Tyrrells Premier 15s

History

Harlequin Ladies were founded in 1995 as the ladies team of Harlequin FC. They initially played their home games at Centaurs RFC, Grasshoppers RFC, Old Isleworthians RFC and at Harlequins previous training base at Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields in Roehampton.[1][2] They won their first league title unbeaten and were subject of a Channel 4 documentary.[3] In 2000, they were promoted to Rugby Football Union for Women Division 1.[4] However they were later relegated from top flight.[5] Following the RFUW restructuring the leagues in 2007, Harlequins Ladies were placed in Championship 2 South East.[6] As of 2017, they played their rugby in the National 2 South East league.[7]

Reformation

In 2016, Harlequins announced a partnership with Women's Premiership club Aylesford Bulls Ladies. The agreement stated that Aylesford Bulls would become a part of Harlequins and would wear their colours[8] but initially retain their name and at first split their matches between Aylesford, Kent and Harlequins' Twickenham Stoop.[9] However the elite squad later moved to be permanently based at Surrey Sports Park at the University of Surrey in Guildford, with the 3s maintaining their links with the local area and keeping Old Isleworthians RFC as their training and playing base.[10] In 2017, Harlequins Ladies were awarded a franchise for the new Women's Super League, later renamed Premier 15s. In doing so, Harlequins fully took over Aylesford Bulls Ladies with Harlequins being confirmed for the new league in a full merger and would cease using the Aylesford Bulls name.[8][11][12][13]

In July 2019, they changed their name to Harlequins Women.[14]

Ground

Harlequins Ladies 1/2s play their home fixtures either at their training base, the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford, or at the Twickenham Stoop, which is situated in Twickenham in south-west London. As of September 2018, Harlequins Ladies 3s will be playing their home fixtures at the brand new facilities at Grasshoppers RFC.

Record attendance

On 10 March 2018, at their league match against local rivals Richmond Women, Harlequins Ladies attracted a record attendance for a British ladies club rugby match of 4,545.[15]

The following season, on 30 March 2019, they beat their own record with an attendance of 4,837 for their last regular season league match of the season against Gloucester-Hartpury Women.[16]

Current squad

The Harlequins Ladies squad for the Tyrrells Premier 15s 2019/20 season is:[17]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Natasha Bradshaw Fullback Jessica Breach Wing England Megan Brown Wing Rachael Burford Centre England Alexandra Chung Centre Heather Cowell Fullback Bethan Dainton Wing Wales Jessica Davis Fullback Laura Dowsett Centre Chloe Dumbreck Wing Beverley Gilbert Scrum-half Ellie Green Fly-half England Bobbie Haywood Scrum-half Breanna Hill Fly-half Izzy Mayhew Centre Ellie Miles Centre England Jade Mullen Fullback Heike Niemand Scrum-half Lucy Packer Scrum-half Wales Kiera Paul-Jones Wing Victoria Petersson Centre Sweden Leanne Riley Scrum-half England Chloe Rollie Fullback Scotland Molly Saunders Wing Emily Scott Fly-half Lagi Tuima Centre England Charlotte Wellbelove Wing Samantha White Centre Stacey White Centre

Player Position Union Teya Ashworth Lock Sarah Beckett Back row England Shaunagh Brown Back row England Gillian Bourke Hooker Ireland Chloe Butler Lock Australia Anna Caplice Flanker Ireland Davinia Catlin Hooker England Amy Cokayne Hooker England Sheree Cooper Prop Vickii Cornborough Prop England Sam Cornborough Back row Ellisha Dee Prop England Chloe Edwards Hooker England Jenny Eyre Lock Giada Franco Back row Italy Fi Fletcher Back row England Asleigh Greenslade Back row Alex Hardy Flanker England Jade Konkel Back row Scotland Leah Lyons Hooker Ireland Samantha McCarthy Back row Deborah McCormack Lock Scotland Patricia Metcalfe-Jones Hooker Katy Mew Back row Sally Parker Hooker Alicia Saili Prop Zoe Saynor Lock Abbie Scott Lock England Kristine Sommer Back row United States Jenny Vik Hooker Tove Viksten Prop Sweden Samantha Voyle Number 8

References

1. "Volunteer award winners". Middlesex Rugby. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
2. "Aylesford Bulls Ladies 77–0 Harlequins Ladies". Kent Sports News. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
3. "Anguish? They All Had a Bawl in the Square!". The People. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via HighBeam Research.(subscription required)
4. "Player profile – Mel Antao". Official.sportnetwork.net. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
5. "Harlequin Ladies Fixtures 2006/7". Rugbynetwork.net. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
6. "How it all began: A brief history of HLFC". Official.sportnetwork.net. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
7. "East London women launch recruitment drive". Newham Recorder. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
8. Richard Parry (28 February 2017). "Women's Super Rugby: Harlequins Ladies offered place in the newly formed competition". Evening Standard. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
9. Tucker, Craig (10 June 2016). "Aylesford Bulls Ladies Rugby Club announce partnership with Harlequins and set sights on European domination". Kent Online. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
10. "Aylesford Bulls Ladies". Women's Premiership. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
11. "England reveal top new women's competition". Scrum Queens. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
12. "Girls Rugby catching on" (PDF). SW Londonder. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
13. admin (14 September 2017). "Catherine Spencer: Litchfield will get new chance to join in 2019". The Rugby Paper.
14. "HARLEQUINS LADIES RENAMED HARLEQUINS WOMEN". Harlequins. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
15. "Harlequins 14-12 Richmond: Record crowd watches women's club game". BBC. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
16. "Tyrrells Premier 15s: Record crowd sees Quins into play-offs". BBC. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
17. "Current Players". Harlequins. Retrieved 4 April 2019.