The IRFU has announced the season structure for the Men’s and Women’s Energia All-Ireland Leagues for the 2024/25 season.
This is the result of a review of the domestic structure for Women’s rugby in conjunction with Women’s rugby representatives and the High-Performance department.
The primary stated ambition is for every woman and girl in Ireland to have the opportunity to play and enjoy rugby. For those who wish to go on and play at an elite level the IRFU want to ensure that the pathways are in place, which they have been investing heavily in over the past number of years.
The Chairs of the Women’s subcommittee of all four provinces were presented with three options and given an opportunity to give feedback and ask questions.
Each Chair liaised directly with their AIL Women’s Clubs to take on board their opinions.
The season plan for the year was clearly outlined alongside the competitions which would impact on domestic player availability, namely the WXV competition, the Celtic Challenge and the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
One of the proposals, for a full home and away season and the removal of the Senior Cup competition, received the support of all four provinces and was endorsed by the Women’s Game Advisory Group and the Rugby Committee of the IRFU.
Clubs were also informed of the decision to introduce a player points system starting in the 2025/26 season. This will benefit Clubs who have developed their pathways and brought players through their Club system to adult rugby.
It will also benefit players looking to establish themselves in AIL Women’s Clubs, as it will empower them to make decisions on where may be best for them to continue their development as players, playing at the top level of Club rugby in Ireland.
“As a Union we are committed to developing and enhancing the women’s game in Ireland and feedback from players and Clubs is central to that,” said Head of women’s development Amanda Greensmith.
“The Energia AIL Women’s Division has been in operation for many years but as the elite side of the game develops at pace, it provides an opportunity to reimagine the domestic game and ensure we continue to offer opportunities for players to play in an exciting and vibrant competition structure.”
“I would like to thank all the Clubs, Players and Provincial Committees for their support and engagement during this process. We look forward to bringing this competition to life before the start of the 2024/25 season.”
Sport for Business in partnership with Lidl Ireland and AIG will hold the 2024 Sport for Business Women in Sport Conference on Thursday, November 28th, one of ten events currently in planning for the remainder of 2024.
Register your interest to attend a Sport for Business event here.
The IRFU and Energia are full members of the Sport for Business Community.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations including all the leading sports and sponsors, commercial and state agencies.
Find out more about joining us today.
Check out our upcoming events to discover ways of connecting in person with our membership.
