RFU open to cross-border Premier 15s expansion

The Rugby Football Union has admitted it would consider allowing teams from Scotland and Wales to join the English Premier 15s. 

Women's Sport Daily has previously reported on the desire of the Welsh Rugby Union to develop two "super clubs" as part of a plan to turn the women's game professional in the principality. 

The RFU hopes expanding the league to the Welsh and Scots will help the Premier 15s achieve its goal of long-term financial stability. "We are having ongoing discussions about how we can continue to develop and push things forward," the RFU's head of women's performance Nicky Ponsford told BBC Sport.

"If we can achieve those things then I think we'll be in a really good place and it might be that we end up with those teams in there."

England and France dominate professional women's rugby in the Northern Hemisphere but the RFU is keen to help the other home nations strengthen in a move which will ultimately be better for the sport as a whole.

Ponsford added: "Every time we go out on the pitch, whilst I want England to win, I actually want it to be a really competitive game, and I want us to be challenged. So, if we can do things that support the development of Welsh players and Scottish players - not to the detriment of England players, or to the detriment of England talent - I think it's important that we do that."