Wasps administrators 'confident' club's women's rugby and netball teams will play on
- Published
Wasps Women finished fifth in the Premier 15s last season, narrowly missing out on a play-off spot
Wasps' administrators are "confident" the club's women's team will play in the Premier 15s this season - and hold similar optimism for the netball side.
The Coventry-based club entered administration on Monday, making 167 players and staff redundant.
Wasps' men's side have been suspended and relegated by Premiership Rugby but the women's domestic top-flight campaign does not begin until November.
"We will do all we can," FRP Advisory's Andrew Sheridan told BBC Sport.
He added: "I'm confident they [Wasps Women] will be able to play in the Allianz 15s when it starts after the World Cup in November.
"We are working with the RFU (Rugby Football Union), doing all that we can do to facilitate that happening."
Importantly, the women's side, despite being affiliated with Wasps, are actually attached to amateur club Wasps FC and play most of their home games at the latter's Twyford Avenue base in London.
Mr Sheridan expects the club to be allowed to begin their campaign at Bristol Bears on 19 November, but admitted funding for playing personnel and adequate medical provision would be key concerns.
Entering administration means that, as with the men's side, Wasps Women's players who were on contracts are now essentially free agents after being made redundant.
A number of their players, including England's Abby Dow, are currently in New Zealand competing at the Women's World Cup and received one-on-one Zoom talks with the administrators this week.
"The issue they are going to have is where they get their money from and how they pay the players," Sheridan added, in his interview with BBC Sport rugby reporter Sara Orchard.
"Some are on contracts, some are on pay as you go almost for match appearances, so the issue is where does that funding come from?
"One of the challenges they have is under the agreement they have with the company that has now gone into administration. They can use all the branding on the shirt but they can't do their own marketing.
"They need to raise funding so we will accommodate that. I don't see that there will be a conflict so we are working really hard to facilitate that and the RFU are of that view as well."
'Interested parties' in talks over Wasps Netball
Wasps Netball won two Superleague titles in 2017 and 2018 but finished ninth in the standings last season
With the Netball Superleague season not beginning until February 2023, the future of the semi-professional Wasps Netball team is slightly less pressing.
Their 15 contracted players and two support staff were among those made redundant, meaning any new owners would have to re-employ or replace them.
But, equally importantly, there is a cap of 12 contracted players and three training partners per Superleague team and with all rosters full for next season, Wasps' players have few options elsewhere.
"We are working closely with England Netball, understanding what their plans and requirements are," added Sheridan.
"We do have interested parties that are talking to us but it is quite complicated because, like all these sporting regulatory bodies, they've all got their own rules of operation.
"A bit like rugby has its "fit and proper" test, in terms of the Netball Superleague, if you are applying for a new licence I'm led to believe it's 18 months.
"Whereas if you transfer a current licence to participate that might be easier. So we're being guided by England Netball."
Earlier this week, England Netball vowed to "work together with all relevant parties, including the club and Netball Players Association" to "protect netball opportunities at community, pathway and elite level".
Related topics
- Published10 July 2019
