Saracens Women

Saracens Women

Full name	Saracens Women[1]
Union	Middlesex RFU
Nickname(s)	Sarries, Women in Black, Wolf Pack, Fez Girls
Emblem(s)	Star and crescent
Founded	1989; 35 years ago (1989)[2]
Location	Hendon, Greater London, England
Ground(s)	StoneX Stadium[3] (Capacity: 10,500[a])
Chairman	Neil Golding[4]
Director of Rugby	Alex Austerberry[5]
Coach(es)	Lewis Sones[6] Mouritz Botha[7] Duncan Taylor[8]
Captain(s)	Marlie Packer[9] Lotte Sharp[10]
Most appearances	Sonia Green[11] 329 (All Competitions)
League(s)	Premiership Women's Rugby
1st kit 2nd kit
Largest win
Saracens 105–0 Worcester Valkyries (Barnet Copthall, London, England) 13 January 2018
Largest defeat
Saracens 7–53 Gloucester-Hartpury (Barnet Copthall, London, England) 10 December 2022
Official website
www.saracens.com
Current season

Saracens Women (/ˈsærəsənz/) are an English women's rugby union club based in Hendon, London. They were established in 1989 and currently play in Premiership Women's Rugby, the top-level competition of women's rugby in the country.^[12]

Saracens are the most successful women's team in the history of domestic rugby union competition in England, having won the league a record 14 times – most recently in 2021–22^[13] – and the cup on 11 occasions – most recently in 2023–24.^[14] They are also the women's team of Saracens Amateurs, who themselves are affiliated to men's Premiership club Saracens.

Saracens Women were originally founded in 1989 by a group of nine players – which included England internationals Emma Mitchell, Janis Ross and Sam Robson, and Wales internationals Amanda Bennett and Liza Burgess – who had identified a need for another women's rugby club in north London.^[15] The founding members gained approval to establish the team, after agreeing to assist with the commercial operations of the Saracens men's team, who had just been promoted into the top flight for the 1989–90 season.^[16] In their debut season, they won the second division and achieved promotion to the Women's Premiership for the 1990–91 season. The team then claimed their first silverware at the national sevens tournament in 1990, and earned a total of 17 trophies over the ensuing decade, including domestic trebles in 1993 and 1998.^[17]

Upon entering the new millennium, Saracens Women were crowned Premiership champions in 2000, before new coaching staff were appointed in 2001, headed by former Saracens men's player Lee Adamson and club co-founder Amanda Bennett.^[18] Adamson held both coaching and administrative positions at Saracens, until he departed in 2007 to coach the Scotland women's national rugby union team.^[19] The team won the league again in 2002, under the captaincy of England international Claire Frost, and then achieved a sequence of four consecutive titles between 2006 and 2009.^[20] Throughout those four years, Saracens remained unbeaten in the competition – a feat not achieved before or since at the top level of English women's rugby.^[18] Prominent players during this period included England's most capped hooker Amy Garnett and flanker Maggie Alphonsi, who played her entire career at Saracens and was later named a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby.^[21]

Off the back of this dominant spell, Saracens Women went five years without silverware, recording three second-place finishes in the league. In 2014, Rob Cain was installed as head coach, and the club proceeded to achieve a league and cup double in 2015.^[22] Cain continued as head coach through to the launch of the Premier 15s, after which he left to take the helm of the United States women's national rugby union team in 2018.^[23] Saracens secured the 2017–18 Premier 15s title, following a season notable for the breakthrough of a new generation of future England internationals who graduated through the club's academy pathway via Welwyn RFC, including prop Hannah Botterman and half-backs Zoe Harrison, Helena Rowland and Ella Wyrwas.^[24]

Led by new head coach Alex Austerberry and captain Lotte Clapp, Saracens Women cemented themselves as the dominant team in the Premier 15s, which operated as the highest level of women's domestic rugby union competition in England between 2017 and 2023, until it was rebranded as Premiership Women's Rugby.^[25] During this period, the club won the title in 2018, 2019 and 2022, while also achieving five consecutive first-place finishes in the regular season league tables.^[26] In September 2019, Saracens also announced that it would double its financial investment in the women's team, in addition to increasing alignment with the resources attached to the men's squad.^[27]

Until 2014, Saracens Women played their home games at Bramley Sports Ground in Enfield, London, and occasionally at Vicarage Road – the home of Watford FC – when the Saracens men, to whom they are affiliated, moved there in 1997. Subsequently, Saracens Women reached an agreement to play home matches at the men's home ground, StoneX Stadium, in Hendon. This ground continues to be their home ground for Premiership Women's Rugby fixtures.^[28]

Historically, the club has held rivalries with fellow London sides Richmond and Wasps.^[29] In more recent years, their main rivals have been Harlequins, with the two teams contesting three consecutive Premier 15s finals between 2018 and 2021.^[30] Since the 2020–21 season, they have competed in an annual showpiece match, known as The Duel.^[31] This fixture is notable for holding the attendance record for a Saracens women's game, drawing the club's highest ever live crowd of 3,071 supporters on 10 February 2024.^[32]

• Women's Premiership / RFUW Premiership
  • Champions: (11) 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2014–15^[33]
  • Runners–up: (5) 2003–04, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16^[34]
• Premier 15s / Premiership Women's Rugby
  • Champions: (3) 2017–18,^[35] 2018–19,^[36] 2021–22^[37]
  • Runners–up: (1) 2020–21^[38]
• National Cup
  • Champions: (10) 1990–91, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99,^[39] 2002–03, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2014–15^[40]
  • Runners–up: (4) 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2015–16^[41]
• Allianz Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2023–24^[42]
  • Runners–up: (1) 2022–23

• Women's Premiership 2 / Championship South
  • Champions: (2) 2003–04, 2012–13
  • Runners–up: (4) 2004–05, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15
• Premier 15s Development League
  • Champions: (2) 2017–18, 2018–19

• National 7s
  • Champions: (8) 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005
  • Runners–up: (TBC)
• Singha Premiership 7s
  • Champions: (1) 2016^[43]

The Saracens Women senior squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[44]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union May Campbell Hooker England Bryony Field Hooker England Daisy Fitzgerald Hooker England Chloe Flanagan Hooker England Nic Haynes Hooker Scotland Bryony Cleall Prop England Kelsey Clifford [A 1] Prop England Mica Evans Prop Wales Akina Gondwe Prop England Mica Gooding Prop England McKinley Hunt Prop Canada Jeanina Loyola Prop Spain Maya Montiel Prop Canada Keira Muir Prop England Donna Rose Prop Wales Carmen Tremelling Prop England Rosie Galligan [A 1] Lock England Natalia John Lock Wales Madison Lawrence Lock England Fiona McIntosh Lock Scotland Louise McMillan [A 2] Lock Scotland Sophie Tansley Lock England Joia Bennett Back row England Poppy Cleall Back row England Sophie de Goede Back row Canada Georgia Evans Back row Wales Emily Eves Back row England Sharifa Kasolo Back row England Lucy Lawford-Wilby Back row England Marlie Packer (cc) [A 1] Back row England Gabby Senft Back row Canada Charlotte Wright-Haley Back row England

Player Position Union Chloe Broom Scrum-half England May Goulding Scrum-half Ireland Leanne Infante Scrum-half England Tori Sellors Scrum-half England Ella Wyrwas [A 1] Scrum-half England Zoe Harrison [A 1] Fly-half England Katie Johnson Fly-half England Amelia MacDougall Fly-half England Flo Williams Fly-half Wales Beth Blacklock [A 2] Centre Scotland Sophie Bridger Centre England Hannah Casey Centre Ireland Alysha Corrigan Centre Canada Sydney Gregson Centre England Emma Hardy Centre England Cara Wardle Centre England Isla Alejandro Wing Scotland Fancy Bermudez Wing Canada Lucy Biggs Wing England Jess Breach [A 1] Wing England Paige Farries Wing Canada Coreen Grant [A 2] Wing Scotland Chantelle Miell Wing England Lotte Sharp (cc) Wing United States Jemma-Jo Linkins Fullback England Sarah McKenna Fullback England

Note: Players listed in bold have received at least one senior international test cap.

The Saracens Women academy squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[44]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Niamh Watts Hooker England Jessica Wood Hooker England Scarlett Coleridge Prop England Polly Kirolova Prop England Annie Shelswell Prop England Tamsin Swann Prop England Ash Fawkes Lock England Phoebe Woodhead Lock England Willow Brownsell Back row England Erin Delea Back row England Lily Hitchcock Back row England Jess Taylor Back row England

Player Position Union Maisy Herbert Scrum-half England Tilly Buckland Fly-half England Poppy Murray Fly-half England Casey Castelyn Centre England Charli Knibbs Centre England Ella Lacey Centre England Charlotte Davey Wing England Lavinia Natui Wing England Jocelyn de Acetis Fullback England

The current Saracens senior management and coaching staff, as of the 2024–25 season, is as follows:

Coaches[44][47][48][49] Role Name Director of Rugby / Head Coach Alex Austerberry Assistant Coach Lewis Sones Forwards / Defence Coach Mouritz Botha Backs / Attack Coach Duncan Taylor Strength & Conditioning Coach Nathan Smith Performance Pathway Lead Niamh McHugh College Academy Coach Sarah McKenna Team Manager Will Crowley-Johnson Assistant Team Manager Melanie Antao

Executives[50][51][52][53] Role Name Club Owner Dominic Silvester Club Chairman Neil Golding Chief Operating Officer Hamish Wilson Board of Directors Maggie Alphonsi Alexandra Cliff Victor Luck Paul O'Shea Francois Pienaar

The following former Saracens Women coaches have gone on to serve in high-profile positions at international level, or at other top-tier clubs in the women's or men's game:^{[54][55][56][57][58]}

The Saracens playing kit is currently supplied by British sportswear manufacturer Castore, as of the beginning of the 2021–22 season.^[59] The club's principal partner and primary shirt sponsor is American financial services company StoneX.^[60] The replica kit featured the logo of the Saracens Foundation, a charity operated by the club and £5 of proceeds from each jersey are donated to the foundation.^[61]

The following graphics represent the designs of the Saracens playing kit between 2006 and 2017:

Home: 2006–2009

Home: 2009–2012

Home: 2012–2014

Home: 2014–2015

Home: 2015–2016

Home: 2016–2017

Away: 2006–2009

Away: 2009–2012

Away: 2012–2014

Away: 2014–2015

Away: 2015–2016

Away: 2016–2017

The following organisations have manufactured and sponsored the Saracens playing kit since the 1996–97 season:^{[62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70]}

Season Manufacturer Principal sponsor 1996–1997 Cotton Oxford Pinnacle Insurance 1997–1998 Kenwood 1998–1999 1999–2000 2000–2001 Canterbury 2001–2002 UniBond 2002–2003 Reebok 2003–2004 2004–2005 KooGa Man Financial 2005–2006

Season Manufacturer Principal sponsor 2006–2007 KooGa Man Group plc 2007–2008 2008–2009 MF Global 2009–2010 2010–2011 Nike Garmin 2011–2012 2012–2013 Allianz 2013–2014 2014–2015 2015–2016

Season Manufacturer Principal sponsor 2016–2017 BLK Allianz 2017–2018 2018–2019 Nike 2019–2020 2020–2021 City Index 2021–2022 Castore 2022–2023 2023–2024 2024–2025 StoneX

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The following players have been selected to represent their national teams at the Rugby World Cup while at Saracens:^[71][72]

Tournament winners are listed in bold

Tournament	Host nation	Number selected	England players	Other national team players
1991	Wales	5	Emma Mitchell, Jane Mitchell, Janis Ross	Amanda Bennett, Liza Burgess
1994	Scotland	8	Karen Almond (c), Annie Cole, Emma Mitchell, Jane Mitchell, Janis Ross	Amanda Bennett, Liza Burgess Michelle Cave
1998	Netherlands	15	Susie Appleby, Helen Clayton, Trudi Collins, Maxine Edwards, Claire Frost, Claire Green, Emma Mitchell, Teresa O'Reilly, Nicky Ponsford, Janis Ross	Geraldine Baylis, Liza Burgess, Claire Donovan, Eleanor Green Michelle Cave
2002	Spain	9	Helen Clayton, Assunta de Biase, Maxine Edwards, Claire Frost, Amy Garnett, Emma Mitchell Teresa O'Reilly, Jenny Phillips	Leslie Cripps
2006	Canada	6	Maggie Alphonsi, Karen Andrew, Rachael Burford, Helen Clayton, Amy Garnett	Leslie Cripps
2010	England	5	Maggie Alphonsi, Charlotte Barras, Amy Garnett	Leslie Cripps (c), Sarah Ulmer
2014	France	3	Maggie Alphonsi	Kerrie-Ann Craddock, Hannah Casey
2017	Ireland	7	Poppy Cleall, Vicky Fleetwood, Marlie Packer, Emily Scott	Olivia DeMerchant Valeria Fedrighi Jeanina Loyola
2022	New Zealand	20	Holly Aitchison, Hannah Botterman, Jess Breach, Poppy Cleall, Zoe Harrison, Leanne Infante, Sarah McKenna, Marlie Packer	Georgia Evans, Kat Evans, Donna Rose Coreen Grant, Louise McMillan, Jodie Rettie Alysha Corrigan, Alex Ellis Lotte Clapp, Alev Kelter Catha Jacobs Rachel Laqeretabua

Left: Maggie Alphonsi, the club's former captain.
Right: Marlie Packer, the club's current co-captain.

The following players have held the position of Saracens Women club captain since it was established in 1989:^{[73][74][75][76][77]}

The following Saracens Women players, past and present, have represented their respective national test or sevens teams during their rugby union career:^[78]

Current squad members, as of the 2024–25 season, are listed in bold

Saracens alumni Rocky Clark and Vicky Fleetwood won the 2014 Rugby World Cup with England.

Top: Saracens alumni Emilie Bydwell and Alev Kelter represented the United States in 15s and 7s.
Bottom: Rachel Laqeretabua (Fiji) and Séraphine Okemba (France) played at the 2022 World Cup.

The following graphics show the starting line-ups for Saracens in all five of the club's Premiership Women's Rugby Final appearances:^[82]

Key

	Denotes that the team ended the final as league champions
	Denotes that the team ended the final as league runners-up

The following graphics show the starting line-ups for Saracens in both of the club's Allianz Cup Final appearances:^[83][84]

Key

	Denotes that the team ended the final as cup champions
	Denotes that the team ended the final as cup runners-up

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The following Saracens players have earned recognition at the World Rugby Awards (presented annually since 2001):^{[85][86][87][88]}

Women's 15s Player of the Year Year Nominated Winner 2006 Maggie Alphonsi Maggie Alphonsi 2010 Maggie Alphonsi (2) — 2021 Poppy Cleall 2023 Marlie Packer Marlie Packer

Women's 15s Dream Team of the Year Year No. Player Position Ref 2021 8. Poppy Cleall Number 8 [89] 2022 7. Marlie Packer Openside Flanker [90] 2023 7. Marlie Packer (2) Openside Flanker [88] 2024 7. Sophie de Goede Openside Flanker [91]

Women's 15s Team of the Decade (2010s)[92] No. Player Position 1. Rocky Clark Loosehead Prop 5. Tamara Taylor Lock 7. Maggie Alphonsi Openside Flanker

World Rugby Hall of Fame[93] Year Inductee Position Notes 2016 Maggie Alphonsi Openside Flanker Saracens player 2003–2014 2018 Liza Burgess Number 8 Saracens player 1989–1999

The following players have been named in the Women's Six Nations Player of the Championship or Team of the Championship shortlists while at Saracens:

Six Nations Team of the Championship Year Number selected Players selected Positions Ref 2022 1 Marlie Packer Openside Flanker [94] 2023 4 Hannah Botterman Loosehead Prop [95] Marlie Packer (2) Openside Flanker Holly Aitchison Fly-Half Jess Breach Right Wing

Six Nations Player of the Championship Year Nominated Winner Ref 2021 Poppy Cleall Poppy Cleall [96] 2022 Marlie Packer — [97] 2023 Holly Aitchison [98] Marlie Packer (2)

The following Saracens players have been named in the annual Premiership Women's Rugby awards:^[99]

Team of the Season[100][101][102][103] Season Number selected Players selected Positions 2020–21‡ 5 Rocky Clark Loosehead Prop Sophie de Goede Lock Georgia Evans Blindside Flanker Marlie Packer Openside Flanker Poppy Cleall Number 8 2021–22§ 4 Marlie Packer (2) Openside Flanker Ella Wyrwas Scrum-Half Alev Kelter Inside Centre Holly Aitchison Outside Centre 2022–23 3 Marlie Packer (3) Openside Flanker Poppy Cleall (2) Number 8 Holly Aitchison (2) Fly-Half 2023–24 3 May Campbell Hooker Sophie de Goede (2) Blindside Flanker Marlie Packer (4) Openside Flanker

Player of the Month Season Month Winner Position Ref 2020–21‡ November May Campbell Hooker [104] March Poppy Cleall Number 8 [105] 2021–22§ December Marlie Packer Openside Flanker [106] January Marlie Packer (2) Openside Flanker [107] February Alev Kelter Inside Centre [108]

Try of the Season

Season	Date	Round	Position	Scorer	Opponent	Stadium	Location	Ref
2017–18§	24 March 2018	18	Wing	Emma Uren	vs. Harlequins	Allianz Park	Hendon	[109]
2018–19§	29 September 2018	4	Wing	Georgie Lingham	vs. Richmond	Athletic Ground	Richmond	[110]
2023–24	6 January 2024	7	Wing	Jess Breach	vs. Sale Sharks	CorpAcq Stadium	Sale	[111]

The following lists denote the top try scorers and top point scorers for Saracens in recent Women's Premiership and Premiership Women's Rugby seasons:

Most Tries Season Player Position Tries Ref 2016–17 Garnet Mackinder Wing 13 [112] 2017–18§ Poppy Cleall Number 8 16 [113] Marlie Packer Flanker 2018–19§ Georgie Lingham Wing 17 [114] 2019–20 Marlie Packer (2) Flanker 9 [115] 2020–21‡ May Campbell Hooker 17 [116] 2021–22§ Marlie Packer (3) Flanker 17 [117] 2022–23 Jess Breach Full-Back 15 [118] 2023–24 Sydney Gregson Centre 10 [119] Marlie Packer (4) Flanker

Most Points Season Player Position Points Ref 2016–17 Zoe Harrison Fly-Half 110 [112] 2017–18§ Helena Rowland Fly-Half 92 [113] 2018–19§ Georgie Lingham Wing 103 [114] 2019–20 Lisa Martin Fly-Half 99 [115] 2020–21‡ Zoe Harrison (2) Fly-Half 105 [116] 2021–22§ Zoe Harrison (3) Fly-Half 117 [117] 2022–23 Jess Breach Full-Back 75 [118] Zoe Harrison (4) Fly-Half 2023–24 Zoe Harrison (5) Fly-Half 86 [119]

The following Saracens players have achieved recognition at the annual RPA Awards:^{[120][121][122]}

RPA England Player of the Year Year Nominee Winner Ref 2019 Sarah McKenna — [123] 2020 Poppy Cleall [124] 2021 Poppy Cleall (2) Poppy Cleall [125] 2022 Marlie Packer Marlie Packer [126] 2023 Holly Aitchison — [127] Marlie Packer (2)

RPA Hall of Fame[128] Year Inductee Notes 2021 Rocky Clark Saracens player 2019–2023

RPA Premier 15s Player of the Year Season Nominee Winner Ref 2021–22§ Marlie Packer — [126]

RPA Special Merit Award Year Winner Notes Ref 2024 Marlie Packer 100th cap for England in 2024 Six Nations [129]

RPA 15 Under 23 Player of the Month[130] Season Month Nominee Winner Ref 2023–24 October Bryony Field — [131] November Amelia MacDougall Amelia MacDougall [132] December Kelsey Clifford — [133] March Sophie Bridger [134] April Tori Sellors Tori Sellors [135] 2024–25 September Amelia MacDougall (2) — [136]

RPA 15 Under 23 Team of the Season[137] Season Number selected Players selected Positions 2023–24 3 Kelsey Clifford No. 3 (Prop) Tori Sellors No. 9 (Scrum-Half) Sophie Bridger No. 13 (Centre)

The following Saracens players have earned recognition at the annual Rugby Black List Awards, which launched in 2023:^[138][139]

Rising Star Award Year Nominee Winner Ref 2024 Sharifa Kasolo Sharifa Kasolo [140]

Life in Sport Award Year Winner Ref 2023 Maggie Alphonsi [141]

The following Saracens players have earned recognition at the club's annual Big Bash end-of-season awards:^{[142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150]}

Season	Players' Player of the Season	Young Player of the Season	Best Newcomer of the Season	Captain's Player of the Season
2015–16‡	Sonia Green	May Campbell	Brooke Sim	Lauren Newman
2016–17	Zoe Harrison	Emma Uren	Garnet Mackinder	Not awarded
2017–18§	Helena Rowland	Not awarded

Season	Players' Player of the Season	Coaches' Player of the Season	Fans' Player of the Season	Captain's Player of the Season
2018–19§	Sarah McKenna	Rosie Galligan	Poppy Cleall	Not awarded
2020–21‡	May Campbell	Sophie de Goede	Not awarded
2021–22§	Alysha Corrigan	Not awarded
2022–23	Sharifa Kasolo	Georgia Evans	Poppy Cleall	Louise McMillan