Worcester Warriors Women: Premier 15s team to be renamed University of Worcester Warriors

Worcester Warriors Women finished eighth in the 10-team Premier15s competition last season

Worcester Warriors Women's team is to be renamed the University of Worcester Warriors in a new partnership between the Premier 15s club and the city's university.

The "multi-year" deal also hopes to get more women to study at the university while playing elite-level rugby through scholarships and business placements.

"This is a significant partnership," Warriors managing director Peter Kelly said in a joint statement.

"We are extremely excited."

The partnership has been agreed ahead of the 2022-23 season with the players' shirts carrying the new name.

"Warriors and the university will combine to increase opportunities for women and girls at all levels to participate in sport and maximise their potential," the statement added.

"With the power of professional sport, it is a fantastic opportunity to drive awareness in the UK and overseas and help attract even more students to our fantastic university and wonderful city.

"This ambitious partnership will inspire the next generation of students to strive for a career in sport, whether that is on field or off field, and as a club we are extremely excited to see what we can achieve together."

The University of Worcester already works with a number of women's sporting franchises based at their 2,000-capacity sports venue, the University Arena.

The Arena is home to the Worcester Wolves Women's basketball and wheelchair basketball teams - both owned by the university - as well as one of the two home bases for the Severn Stars Superleague netball side.