Leicester Tigers have launched a women’s team in a merger with Lichfield to compete in the second tier of English women’s rugby.
‘Lichfield Leicester Tigers’ will play at both Welford Road and Lichfield’s Cooke Fields in Championship North 1.
Tigers said they wanted the team to play “at the highest possible level”, and suggested they will apply for a Premier 15s licence in 2023.
When announcing the formation of the programme and hiring former England full-back Vicky Macqueen as head of rugby, Tigers said they were looking to “develop rugby” in the area as well as “working on the governance and logistics” of running an elite women’s team.
The club have decided to join up with Lichfield in a “multi-year” agreement to launch their first team, with the clubs combining on community work as well as on-field matters.
“Lichfield will be fantastic advisers on our journey,” said Leicester chief executive Andrea Pinchen.
“We will work with them at all levels to ensure their legacy continues and more women and girls take up the game.”
Pinchen added they will look to add more players to the squad themselves through their trial days.
The West Midlands side have a proud history in women’s rugby, having played at the top of the game since the early 2000s and bringing through England internationals such as Emily Scarratt, Natasha Hunt and Heather Fisher.
Lichfield applied for a licence to play in the inaugural Premier 15s in 2017, but were not successful.
Every three years, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) opens a bidding process for clubs to have a team in the league, meaning there is no promotion or relegation.
Leicester, Bath and London Irish, as well as Northampton and Newcastle, are the only Premiership teams not to have a side in the Premier 15s.
Bath and London Irish announced earlier this year that they would also be applying for licences in 2023.
It raises the prospect of two elite rugby women’s programmes competing in Leicestershire, with Loughborough Lightning, who have England stars such as Scarratt and Helena Rowland in their team, making the semi-finals of the competition last season.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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