Waterloo Ladies

Waterloo Ladies Rugby Football Club, known for sponsorship reasons as Firwood Waterloo Ladies Rugby Football Club, is a women's rugby union club based in Blundellsands, Merseyside, England. They are the women's team of Waterloo FC. They were established in 1989 by England national women's rugby union team player Gill Burns.[1] As of 2017, they play in the Premier 15s.

Waterloo Ladies
Full nameFirwood Waterloo Ladies Football Club
UnionRFUW
Founded1989

History

Waterloo Ladies were founded in 1989 by Gill Burns as a way for local women to be able to play rugby in their hometown.[1] By 2001, Waterloo Ladies were playing in the Women's Premiership.[2][3] A large number of Waterloo Ladies' players took part in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup, which meant that Waterloo Ladies were unable to put out strong team leading to relegation from the Women's Premiership.[4] Despite this, they became the most successful women's rugby club in Merseyside.[5] In 2012, the club's name was changed to Firwood Waterloo following a sponsorship deal with a Liverpool based timber merchant, which included all of the club's teams including the Ladies.[6] In 2013, Waterloo Ladies joined the Sale Sharks men's team for training.[7] In 2016, Waterloo Ladies were champions of Championship 1 North.[8]

In 2017, Waterloo Ladies were selected as one of ten successful bids for a franchise in the new Women's Super Rugby competition, later renamed Premier 15s, designed to replace the Women's Premiership due to a reconstitution of women's rugby in England. The decision was welcomed by Lichfield Ladies who congratulated Waterloo Ladies on their return, despite Lichfield being controversially omitted from the new league.[9]

References
  1. worldrugby.org (17 November 2014). "2014 Inductee: Gill Burns". IRB. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  2. "Spent force?; SATURDAY FEATURE: The move into professionalism was a game too far as so many clubs are being kicked into touch". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via The Free Library.
  3. "Burns Becomes First Lady of Rugby's Hall of Fame; Waterloo and England Union Star Inducted into IRB's Roll of Honour". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via Highbeam Research.(subscription required)
  4. "Rugby Union: Back the first ladies of sport on Merseyside; In Touch". Daily Post. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via The Free Library.
  5. "Waterloo Ladies Leading the Way on Merseyside". Daily Post. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via Highbeam Research.(subscription required)
  6. "Waterloo RFC to be known as Firwood Waterloo FC after signing five-year partnership". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. Sharks, Sale (27 March 2013). "Qbe Rugby Pro Winner Firwood Waterloo Ladies Fc Trains With Sale Sharks". Sale Sharks. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  8. "Thurrock women's rugby side set to fight for new big money Super League inclusion". The Enquirer. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  9. "RUGBY UNION: Premiership clubs put their weight behind Lichfield Ladies' Super League appeal". Lichfield Mercury. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
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