Trailfinders Women

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Trailfinders Women
Full nameTrailfinders Women
Union
RFU
Founded2023
Ground(s)Trailfinders Sports Ground (Capacity: 5,000)
Director of RugbyGiselle Mather
League(s)Premiership Women's Rugby
First match
Harlequins Women 31–21 Trailfinders Women
(Twickenham Stoop, London)
30 September 2023
Largest defeat
Trailfinders Women 10–45 Saracens Women
(Trailfinders Sports Ground, London)
21 October 2023

Trailfinders Women are a professional women's rugby union club based in Ealing, Greater London. They currently compete in Premiership Women's Rugby, the highest division of women's rugby union in England.

History

Amateur side

In the 2010–11 season, Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club operated an amateur women's side, Ealing Jades Ladies, which competed in RFUW NC South East 1. They finished 7th place out of the 8 teams.[1] The team did not appear again until the 2021–22 Women's NC 3 South East (Central) season when they were known as Ealing Trailfinders Ladies and they finished at the bottom of the table.[2] In 2022–23, they competed in Women's National Challenge 3 South East (West) when they finished in 5th place.[3]

After the founding of Trailfinders Women, Ealing Trailfinders Ladies changed names and became Ealing Women II. Trailfinders Women were founded as a new team.

2023 onwards: Premiership Women's Rugby

In July 2022 Giselle Mather was named as Director of Women's Rugby at Ealing Trailfinders.

Italy prop Sara Seye.[9][10]

Ealing's first ever win in the league came in a 36-7 victory over Leicester Tigers Women.[11]

Current players

The Ealing Trailfinders squad for the 2023–24 season is:

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

Player Position Union
Megan Brodie
Prop
Ireland Ireland
Jo Bucknall
Prop
England England
Liz Crake
Prop
England England
Sara Seye
Prop
Italy Italy
Andrea Stock
Prop
Ireland Ireland
Alex Zdunek
Prop
England England
Elisa Riffonneau
Hooker
France France
Amanda McQuade
Hooker
Ireland Ireland
Lindelwa Gwala
Hooker
South Africa South Africa
Megan Barwick
Lock
England England
Tyson Beukeboom
Lock
Canada Canada
Rowena Burnfield
Lock
England England
Shya Pinnock
Lock
England England
Charlie Willett
Lock
Ireland Ireland
Cristina Blanco
Back row
Spain Spain
Lauren Brooks
Back row
England England
Abi Burton
Back row
England England
Charlotte Cheshire
Back row
England England
Fiona Cooper
Back row
Scotland Scotland
Shannon Ikahihifo
Back row
New Zealand New Zealand
Annabel Meta
Back row
England England
Kie Tamai
Back row
Japan Japan
Kate Zackary
Back row
United States United States
Player Position Union
Emma Swords
Scrum-half
Ireland Ireland
Sophie Molton
Scrum-half
England England
Julia Schell
Fly-half
Canada Canada
Lauren Knowler
Centre
England England
Ellie Lennon
Centre
England England
Sophie Ragg
Centre
England England
Sophie Shams
Centre
England England
Ella Amory
Centre
Belgium Belgium
Ellie Boatman
Wing
England England
Jess Cooksey
Wing
England England
Abby Dow
Wing
England England
Amy Wilson Hardy
Wing
England England
Courtney Pursglove
Wing
England England
Emma Uren
Wing
England England
Liz Musgrove
Fullback
Scotland Scotland
Rosie Inman
Fullback
England England
Meya Bizer
Fullback
United States United States

Season Summaries

League Cup
Season Competition Final position Points Play-offs Competition Performance
2023—24 Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby Allianz Cup 7th

Gold background denotes champions
Silver background denotes runners-up
Pink background denotes relegated

Club staff

The coaching staff for the 2023—24 season is:[6]

Role Name
Director of Women's Rugby Giselle Mather
Forwards, Line-out and Breakdown Coach Barney Maddison
U23s and Defence Coach Oli Bishop
Assistant Line-out and Assistant Defence Coach Pat Metcalfe-Jones
Scrum Coach Brett Wilkinson
Skills Coach and Athlete Mentor Kim Oliver

References

  1. ^ "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  2. ^ "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  3. ^ "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  4. ^ "Giselle Mather Becomes Ealing Trailfinders' Director Of Women's Rugby". ealingtrailfinders.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  5. ^ "Allianz Premier 15s Update". www.premier15s.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  6. ^ a b "Ealing Trailfinders Announce Their Women's Coaching Team". ealingtrailfinders.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  7. ^ "Abby Dow: England wing to leave Harlequins and join Ealing Trailfinders at end of season". BBC Sport. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  8. ^ "England wing Dow to join Ealing at end of season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  9. ^ "Ealing sign Ireland scrum-half Swords from Quins". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  10. ^ "Ealing Trailfinders sign Italy Women prop Seye". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  11. ^ "Allianz Premier 15s (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 2024-02-17.