They gave up their jobs for the cause but now many are cast adrift
UNCERTAINTY and unrest have bubbled under the surface during this women’s World Cup.
It may have been the best tournament to date, but now it is over half the England squad will not have their contracts renewed. Many will be out of a job. The RFU has switched its emphasis between the 15-a-side game and sevens, with the Commonwealth Games approaching.
Some, like captain Sarah Hunter, are employed by the RFU in other roles. The No 8 is a University Rugby Development Officer for the South West.
But plenty in the front five, who will not play sevens, return to being amateurs having left jobs and signed professional deals just a year ago.
They did know this was the case when
penning those deals, but it is an unsatisfactory situation.
Rugby fan Simon Pennock, who is chairman of SNAP sponsorship and Lions Academy, is offering work in his two companies for three months on the same terms as an RFU contract — around £5,000 per player. It seems strange that it has to come to this.
Meanwhile, the new domestic club competition starts on September 16 with 10 teams competing in a top division. It will provide an excellent new platform for the game, and more investment, but the second-best side in the country, Lichfield Ladies, have been denied access.
They boast five of last night’s England squad — Emily Scarratt, Natasha Hunt, Amy Cockayne, Harriet MillarMills and Justine Lucas — who have all been forced to leave the club they were nurtured by.
Two more finalists, Hunter and Vicky Fleetwood, came through the Lichfield system before moving down to London for jobs. Naturally Lichfield are vexed but will not block their moves — they are determined their players should play topflight rugby.
The destinations for those England five will be announced in the coming weeks. It is understood not all will move to Loughborough Lightning, the university side with no internationals who made the Tyrrells Premier 15s.
Scarratt and Hunt will be fine — they are getting sevens deal — but the others are having to up sticks.