Saracens Women

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.

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 – and the cup on 11 occasions – most recently in 2023–24. They are also the women's team of Saracens Amateurs, who themselves are affiliated to men's Premiership club Saracens.

History
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. 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. 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.

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. Adamson held both coaching and administrative positions at Saracens, until he departed in 2007 to coach the Scotland women's national rugby union team. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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.

Historically, the club has held rivalries with fellow London sides Richmond and Wasps. In more recent years, their main rivals have been Harlequins, with the two teams contesting three consecutive Premier 15s finals between 2018 and 2021. Since the 2020–21 season, they have competed in an annual showpiece match, known as The Duel. 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.

Saracens Women

 * 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
 * Runners–up: (5) 2003–04, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16
 * Premier 15s / Premiership Women's Rugby
 * Champions: (3) 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22
 * Runners–up: (1) 2020–21
 * National Cup
 * Champions: (10) 1990–91, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2014–15
 * Runners–up: (4) 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2015–16
 * Allianz Cup
 * Champions: (1) 2023–24
 * Runners–up: (1) 2022–23

Saracens Women Reserves

 * 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

Saracens Women 7s

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

Current squad
The Saracens Women senior squad for the 2024–25 season is:

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

Academy squad
The Saracens Women academy squad for the 2024–25 season is:

Club staff
The current Saracens senior management and coaching staff, as of the 2023–24 season, is as follows:

Notable former coaches
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:


 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Peter Kennedy (head coach 2000s)
 * England women's / England 7s head coach 2000–02
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lee Adamson (head coach 2001–07)
 * Scotland women's head coach 2007–08
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rob Cain (director of rugby / head coach 2014–18)
 * United States women's head coach 2018–22


 * 🇦🇷 Juan Figallo (forwards coach 2021–23)
 * Saracens men's scrum / academy transition coach 2023–24
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 James Tirrell (backs coach 2020–23)
 * Saracens men's skills / academy transition coach 2023–
 * England men's Under-20s assistant coach 2020

Playing kit
The kit is currently supplied by Castore, from the beginning of the 2021–22 season. The club's principal sponsor is City Index, a subsidiary company whose parent is owned by Saracens' principle partner StoneX. 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.

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

Summary of kit manufacturers and sponsors
The following organisations have manufactured and sponsored the Saracens playing kit since the 1996–97 season:

Rugby World Cup
The following players have been selected to represent their national teams at the Rugby World Cup while at Saracens:
 * Tournament winners are listed in bold

Club captains
The following players have held the position of Saracens Women club captain since it was established in 1989:


 * 1989–1992 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Liza Burgess
 * 1993–1995 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Katie Ball
 * 1995–1997 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Janis Ross
 * 1997–1998 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Janice Byford
 * 1998–2002 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Claire Frost
 * 2002–2004 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Helen Clayton
 * 2005–2007 - 🇨🇦 Leslie Cripps
 * 2007–2009 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Amy Garnett
 * 2010–2012 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Louise Horgan
 * 2012–2013 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sonia Green
 * 2012–2015 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Maggie Alphonsi
 * 2015–2017 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sonia Green
 * 2017–present - 🇺🇸 Lotte Clapp
 * 2022–present - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Marlie Packer

International players
The following Saracens Women players, past and present, have represented their respective national test or sevens teams during their rugby union career:
 * Current squad members, as of the 2024–25 season, are listed in bold

England [[england|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿]]

 * Sasha Acheson
 * Holly Aitchison
 * Claire Allan
 * Karen Almond
 * Maggie Alphonsi
 * Karen Andrew
 * Susie Appleby
 * Pip Atkinson
 * Katie Ball
 * Fiona Barnet
 * Charlotte Barras
 * Ellie Boatman
 * Hannah Botterman
 * Jess Breach
 * Sophie Bridger
 * Rachael Burford
 * Janice Byford
 * May Campbell
 * Mackenzie Carson (1)
 * Lauren Cattell
 * Rocky Clark
 * Helen Clayton
 * Bryony Cleall
 * Poppy Cleall
 * Kelsey Clifford
 * Annie Cole
 * Trudi Collins
 * Assunta de Biase
 * Maxine Edwards
 * Vicky Fleetwood
 * Deborah Fleming
 * Claire Frost
 * Hannah Gallagher
 * Rosie Galligan
 * Amy Garnett
 * Claire Green
 * Sonia Green
 * Sydney Gregson
 * Georgina Gulliver
 * Fiona Hackett
 * Zoe Harrison
 * Leanne Infante
 * Vicky Macqueen
 * Sarah McKenna
 * Chantelle Miell
 * Emma Mitchell
 * Jane Mitchell
 * Teresa O'Reilly
 * Marlie Packer
 * Ellena Perry
 * Jenny Phillips
 * Nicky Ponsford
 * Sam Robson
 * Janis Ross
 * Helena Rowland
 * Tammy Samuel
 * Emily Scott
 * Genevieve Shore
 * Tamara Taylor
 * Emma Uren
 * Claire Williets
 * Ella Wyrwas

Britain and Ireland

 * Isla Alejandro
 * Beth Blacklock
 * Michelle Cave
 * Abi Evans
 * Coreen Grant
 * Lisa Martin
 * Fiona McIntosh
 * Louise McMillan
 * Jodie Rettie
 * Fiona Sim
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Geraldine Baylis
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Amanda Bennett
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Liza Burgess
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Rebecca De Filippo
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Claire Donovan
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Georgia Evans
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Kat Evans
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Eleanor Green
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Eloise Hayward (2)
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Louise Horgan
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Jade Knight
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Donna Rose
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Flo Williams
 * Kerrie-Ann Craddock
 * Hannah Casey
 * Grace Moore
 * Taryn Schutzler
 * Emma Swords

Other nations

 * 🇨🇦 Alysha Corrigan
 * 🇨🇦 Leslie Cripps
 * 🇨🇦 Sophie de Goede
 * 🇨🇦 Olivia DeMerchant
 * 🇨🇦 Alex Ellis
 * 🇨🇦 Paige Farries
 * 🇨🇦 McKinley Hunt
 * 🇨🇦 Mandy Marchak
 * 🇨🇦 Maya Montiel
 * 🇨🇦 Julia Sugawara
 * 🇨🇦 Emma Taylor
 * 🇨🇦 Sarah Ulmer
 * Nina Vistisen
 * Rachel Laqeretabua
 * 🇫🇷 Séraphine Okemba
 * 🇮🇹 Valeria Fedrighi
 * Samantha Martinez Gion
 * Tessa Wijmans
 * Catha Jacobs
 * 🇪🇸 Jeanina Loyola
 * 🇺🇸 Emilie Bydwell
 * 🇺🇸 Lotte Clapp (3)
 * 🇺🇸 Alev Kelter
 * 🇺🇸 Carly Waters

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

2016 Women's Premiership Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Richmond)



2018 Tyrrells Premier 15s Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Harlequins)



2019 Tyrrells Premier 15s Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Harlequins)



2021 Allianz Premier 15s Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Harlequins)



2022 Allianz Premier 15s Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Exeter Chiefs)



Allianz Cup Finals
The following graphics show the starting line-ups for Saracens in both of the club's Allianz Cup Final appearances:

2023 Allianz Cup Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Exeter Chiefs)



2024 Allianz Cup Final Starting XV
 * (vs. Bristol Bears)



World Rugby Awards
The following Saracens players have earned recognition at the World Rugby Awards (presented annually since 2001):

Six Nations Championship Awards
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:

Premiership Women's Rugby Awards
The following Saracens players have been named in the annual Premiership Women's Rugby awards:

Rugby Players' Association Awards
The following Saracens players have achieved recognition at the annual RPA Awards:

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

End-of-season club awards
The following Saracens players have earned recognition at the club's annual Big Bash end-of-season awards:

Player of the Month
The following players have been named the Saracens Player of the Month (awarded since 2021):

Top scorers
The following lists denote the top try scorers and top point scorers for Saracens in recent Women's Premiership and Premier 15s seasons:

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