The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has revealed plans to launch a new women’s professional league. The ‘Women’s Super League Rugby’ (WSLR) could launch as early as 202. SARU aims to centrally contract as many as 150 female players.
The plan being formulated in conjunction with provincial rugby unions, unions invited to submit proposals for inclusion of a franchise. Number of teams will be determined by the quality of submissions but is expected to be no more than four or five.
Rian Oberholzer, SA Rugby CEO, said that it was important to understand the development trajectory that women’s rugby was undergoing around the world.
“The only professionalised women’s leagues in the world are in England and New Zealand and they have only been in operation for half a dozen years or so,” he said.
“They are not yet fully professional in the sense that we understand men’s rugby to be. Similarly, our South African model is for a professionalised WSLR with high standards of preparation, training and competition with players who have 12-month-a-year contracts but may also be in tertiary education or in full or part-time employment.
“This is a critical staging post on the ultimate goal of a fully professional women’s game around the world and it is investment for the exponential growth of rugby in South Africa.”
Bidders to be selected based on standards for governance and funding, player development, coaching, medical and support services, analysis and nutrition, training and match-day environment, marketing and communications, and commercial activities.
“We look forward to confirming the competing franchises in October,” said Oberholzer. “It will be a key moment in the strategy to bring the Women’s Rugby World Cup back to South Africa.”
