Women's rugby: Bristol's Alisha Butchers highlights rugby insurance gap

Alisha Butchers joined Bristol before the start of the Premier 15s 2020-21 season

Injured Wales flanker Alisha Butchers has called for greater education of insurance issues in women's semi-professional rugby.

Butchers, 23, had surgery part-funded by Premier 15s' Bristol Bears Women after suffering ankle ligament damage.

But she admits to being unaware her contract stated Bristol's insurance would not cover all the treatment.

Butchers has since covered all the costs via online fundraising and says "more clarity" is needed on the issue.

She also explained that a desire to return to action for club as soon as possible allied to pressures on the National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic meant taking that route was not a realistic option.

"It is an injury that could be dealt with through the NHS, but at the moment it's probably not a priority, which is completely understandable," said Butchers.

She added: "Going privately was really important for me and for my team-mates and for the club as well.

"So that was the only option I could go with."

After undergoing surgery last weekend, she will miss the Women's Six Nations, which has been postponed until April, while recovering from the injury and is grateful Bristol contributed towards the cost of the surgery.

Butchers added: "The remainder of the cost was just too high for me to be able to personally afford.

"Therefore I thought the best decision for me was to do the GoFundMe page, not only to raise the funds but also to raise a little bit of awareness around the situation.

"Basically, it wasn't within my contract that Bristol were liable for my medical cover, so that's probably my own fault for not being aware of that and being as up to date with that as I should have been.

"But like I said, Bristol has been able to donate towards the operation which obviously I'm very, very grateful for.

"I think just going forward, more and more players need to be more aware of what they're doing, before they actually sign anything."

The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) says it "categorically supports" Butchers' call for increased education for Premier 15s players on what they call "vital matters".

But the RPA adds that it is up to clubs and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to provide funding for that education.

"Due to restricted resources we can only currently represent full-time professional female players in the England 7s and 15s programmes," an RPA statement said.

"So this education sits with the RFU and the clubs. We are seeking increased resources to broaden our representation as the Premier 15s continues its exciting development, but there is an RFU standard contract that stipulates the medical cover in place for the players and so that obligation should be applied."

Butchers says she had taken out medical insurance, but discovered it did not cover her circumstances.

"A normal person could go to a normal health insurance company and get medical insurance and that is what I did," she said.

"So I did have medical insurance when I got injured. However, because I'm classed as a semi-professional player that insurance then became void because I receive payments.

"And because of this reason my insurance company weren't then able to fund me or be able to help me in any way.

"And I don't think a lot of players are actually aware of that or if you do receive any types of payments from your club, then you need to get a different type of insurance than just a normal policy from an insurance company. It needs to be form a sports specific insurance company."

Butchers believes she is not alone in such a situation, saying: "There are a few girls now who are probably in the same boat as me having to fundraise for the money.

"It just shows there needs to be more clarity around this issue and players need to be made aware of what they need to do in order to have that cover when it is needed, even if that is purchasing their own medical insurance from specific providers, and whatever that may be."

She also believes there is a need to raise awareness of the potential shortfalls in insurance for semi-professional women players.

"It's an issue the players definitely could be more educated on," said Butchers.

"Before this I was definitely not educated on the situation and just kind of turned up to training and played and was kind of carefree about it.

"Now I think I'm a lot more switched on and alert and would like to think I wouldn't be in a situation like this again where I wouldn't be covered by an insurance or by a club."

Bristol Bears Women and the RFU have been asked to comment.