2025-26 Celtic Challenge to feature knockout rugby

BBC News

18 hours ago

The Celtic Challenge is set to feature knockout rugby for the first time as organisers announce changes to the competition structure ahead of the 2025-26 season.The league - which gets under way on 20 December - will feature 10 rounds before culminating with semi-finals and a final.The six-team competition features two sides from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.Belinda Moore, the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) head of women's rugby, said: "The Celtic Challenge is a major foundation block in the development pathway to give players the opportunity to play at a high level and to realise their personal ambitions of wearing the red of Wales."The likes of prop Maisie Davies, lock Alaw Pyrs and hooker Molly Reardon have already used it as a launchpad to play Test rugby, and we can expect more players from Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder to follow in their footstep in the new extended league."
Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder have previously been the Welsh representation in the competition and they will be the two sides involved in this 2025-26 tournament.It was announced in April that Lightning and Thunder were to be replaced by two fresh set-ups.Two months later the WRU postponed the proposed revamp of top-tier women's rugby in Wales two months later "due to the ongoing transformation in the men's game".Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors were the two Scottish sides in the competition last term with Wolfhounds and Clovers representing Ireland.A total of 44 players who featured in the Celtic Challenge during the 2024-25 season have been selected for international duty in this year's Rugby World Cup.This year's women's Six Nations featured 73 players who featured in the Celtic Challenge, with 64 of the league's representatives named in the U20's Six Nations Women's Summer Series in July.Gillian McDarby, the Irish Rugby Football Union's (IRFU) head of women's performance and pathways, said: "The introduction of a Celtic Challenge final is a natural evolution for a competition that continues to grow in impact. "The success of our players on the international stage is a direct reflection of the high-performance environment the Celtic Challenge provides. "We're proud of the role this league plays in developing world-class talent and remain committed to its continued expansion and success."Team announcements, fixtures and broadcast coverage details for the Celtic Challenge will be announced following the conclusion of the Women's Rugby World Cup.Gemma Fay, Scottish Rugby head of women and girls strategy, said: "The continued evolution of the Celtic Challenge shows the vital contribution this competition plays connecting our club game to the international stage. "We have already seen the impact that both Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors have had on the Scotland team and this will only grow as the Celtic Challenge does."Wolfhounds retained their Celtic Challenge crown after defeating Edinburgh 102-0 in their final fixture of the series in March.