Monaghan backs bid for potential Irish club in PWR

Ireland second row Sam Monaghan said that having an Irish club in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) would be “amazing” for the growth of the national team.

The PWR, currently restricted to English clubs, opened an expression of interest process in April for organisations who might join the nine-team competition if it expanded, with the Irish Rugby Football Union confirming on Friday that they have showed interest in joining.

Monaghan is one of 11 players in the Ireland Six Nations squad who play in the PWR, and is one of the four who play for reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury after signing in the summer of 2022.

Munster, Connacht, Leinster and Ulster play in an Interpro league, while Clovers and Wolfhounds represent Ireland in the Celtic Challenge alongside clubs from Scotland and Wales, but Monaghan believes an Irish team in the PWR would further accelerate player development in a more competitive environment.

“I think it’s something we’ve always spoken about, us girls that play in the Prem, ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if there was an Irish team where we could all play together?’, because for where I was at in my career, the Premiership was amazing for me,” she told BBC Sport NI.

“I built a life over there, I have a house and a job and I’d love to come and play at home, but I don’t think it’s feasible for me, so to have the opportunity to do both would really be amazing and to get our players playing together a lot more would benefit us massively.

“It’s something we spoke about before, but to see it actually come to fruition would be amazing because it’s so competitive.”

The 32-year-old was also asked about the introduction of smaller balls for this autumn’s WXV Global Series.

Size 4.5 balls – about 3% smaller, but the same weight as a regulation size five – will be used for the tournament in September and October, a decision England fly-half Zoe Harrison branded as “the worst decision someone has ever made” with Monaghan also against their use.

“I think if it was done it maybe should have been done years ago,” Monaghan added.

“I think now what we’re producing year on year, the spectacle is getting so much better, players are getting so much better, the skillsets are getting better and we’re improving, I personally feel there doesn’t need to be a change.

“I’m sure hooker and kickers would feel strongly about those things. That’s their craft, something they’ve been practising for years and years. I think the investment could go into other parts of the game to make it better. I think [the size] five is working well.”