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#Post#: 156024--------------------------------------------------
Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: poorfour
Date: July 3, 2026, 3:37 pm
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Confirmed 2026/27 squad (pending any other new signings)
Head Coach
Ross Chisholm
Senior squad: 44
Props – 6, 3 internationals
- Zara Green (Prop, England U18, U20) - Extended for 26/27
- Lizzie Hanlon (Prop, England)
- Rose Platt (Prop)
- Hannah Sims (Prop, England U20s)
- Sisilia Tuipulotu (Prop, Wales) - Signed for 26/27
- Silvia Turani (Italy, Prop)
- Ruby Winstanley (Prop, England U18) - Extended for 26/27
Hookers – 4, 2 internationals
- Amy Henwood (Hooker, England U18)
- Maja Mueller (Sweden, Hooker) - Extended for 26/27
- Maddy Page (Hooker/Flanker, England U20)* - extended for 26/27
- Connie Powell (England, Hooker)
Locks – 7 and a half, 3 internationals, 1 RWC Winner
- Sarah Bonar (Scotland, Lock)
- Lauren Brooks (Lock)
- Rosie Galligan (Lock, England) - Signed for 26/27ish
- Grace Keel (England U18) - Extended for 26/27
- Danelle Lochner (Lock, South Africa) - Extended for 26/27
- Natasha Logan (Scotland Futures, Lock)
- Tyla Shirley (Flanker/Lock, CoE, England U20)*
- Louisa Ward (Lock, England U18)*
Back Row – 10, 6 internationals, 1 RWC Winner
- Megan Barwick (Back row)
- Lauren Brooks (Flanker) - Extended for 26/27
- Alex Callender (Wales, Back row)
- Amelia Kolev (England, Flanker) - Extended for 26/27
- Manuqalo Komaitai (Fiji & British Army, Back Row)
- Joy Okechukwu (England U18)
- Marlie Packer (England, Back Row) - Signed for 26/27
- Sara Svoboda (Back row, Canada)
- Aoife Wafer (No8, Ireland) - Extended for 26/27
- Nicole Wythe (Back row, CoE)
Scrum half – 3, 2 internationals, 1 RWC Winner
- Tess Braunerova (Scrum half)
- Lucy Packer (England, Scrum half) - Extended for 26/27
- Milly Pearce (England U18)
Fly Half – 3, 2 International
- Ella Cromack (Fly half, CoE, England U20) - Extended for 26/27
- Sara Mannini (Fly Half, Italy) - Signed for 26/27
- Kayleigh Powell (Fly Half, GB7s, Wales) - Extended for 26/27
Centre – 4, 1 international
- Emily Blackburn (Centre/Wing, CoE)
- Summer Charlesworth (Centre, CoE, England U18)
- Sarah Parry (Centre, England U18, U20)
- Claudia Pena Hidalgo (Centre, Spain 7s) - extended for 26/27
Wings – 5, 0 internationals
- Daisy Aspinall (Wing) - Signed for 2026/27
- Aimee Bush (Wing)
- Grace Crompton (GB7s ?) - extended for 26/27
- Katie Shillaker (Wing, CoE) - extended for 26/27
- Joanne Vosakiwaiwai (Wing, CoE, England U18)
Fullbacks – 2, 0 internationals
- Lauren Torley (Full back / Wing) - extended for 26/27
- Solana Shaw de Leon (Fullback, CoE, England U18) - extended
for 26/27
Junior Development Players Not Listed above - best guess
Carys Graham (England U20s, Prop)
Grace Izinyon (Prop)
Rosie Dobson (England U20s, Hooker)
Eloise Harris (Hooker)
Hannah Owen (Hooker)
Phoebe Wheadon (Hooker, CoE)
Sophie Stafford (Flanker)
Grace Clavering (Scrum Half)
Maria Hamilton-Eadie (Wing, CoE)
Confirmed Departures
Retired
- Jade Konkel (Scotland, No 8, Captain)
- Laura Delgado (Spain, Prop)
- Izzy Mayhew (Wing/centre)
- Sheree Cooper (Prop)
- Hannah Duffy (Prop)
- Heather Cowell (Wing)
Leaving but still playing
- Lagi Tuima (England, Centre)
- Beth Wilcock (Wing)
- Ellie Kildunne (Fullback, England) - Bristol Bears
- Freya Aucken (Scrum half, CoE)
- Lucy Burgess (Scrum Half)
- Fi McIntosh (Scotland, Lock) - Scotland
- Coreen Grant (Wing, Scotland)
- Emma Swords (Ireland, Scrum half)
- Jessie Spurrier (Prop)
- Abbie Fleming (Wales, Lock/Flanker)
- Carys Phillips (Wales, Hooker)
- Lisa Neumann (Wales, Wing)
- Jade Mullen (Wing)
- Lauren Fisher (Wing/Centre/Fullback, CoE)
- Sophie Tansley (Lock)
- Layla Sae (NZ)
- Liana Mikaele-Tu'u (NZ)
- Iley Bailey (Flanker, England U18, U20)
- Orla Proctor (Centre)
- Izzy Hannay (Flanker, Scotland Transition)
- Emma Wedervang (Lock, Sweden)
#Post#: 156025--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: poorfour
Date: July 3, 2026, 3:53 pm
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It seems a good time to start a new thread for this one, with
the club announcing the full list of departures.
While it’s quite a long list of departures, only a couple were
regular starters and of them, Ellie Kildunne is the biggest
surprise. Quins have recruited Aimee Bush and Daisy Aspinall to
bolster the back division, and extended Lauren Torley and Solana
Shaw de Leon (who is more Braxton Sorensen-McGee than Ellie
Kildunne, but an exciting prospect nonetheless).
The forwards have also seen some significant departures - but
have been strengthened significantly by Tuipulotu, Packer and
(eventually) Galligan.
The squad is significantly smaller, though, and having only 16
backs looks a bit light - my best guess is that Pat
Metcalfe-Jones will look to draw on the pipeline coming through
Surrey Uni.
Overall, looking at this year’s changes alongside last year’s
there’s a bit of a sense that a lot of this year’s leavers were
asked for one more year while a big intake of youth players got
established; Quins are now betting on thos youngsters - some of
whom haven’t yet made senior debuts. I hope it pays off - but it
may rely on a better injury record than we’ve had the last
couple of years.
#Post#: 156027--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 3, 2026, 5:26 pm
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We seem to have gone from a very large squad to actually a
fairly small squad, but that seems to be the trend across the
PWR, with a degree of reliance on the associated universities to
provide both new blood and extra squad depth if required.
I agree that we do seem light in some positions, 10 and 15 stick
out, and indeed across the entire back line, if we have injuries
it may become interesting, the PWR cup side, may well lean on
Surrey uni.
Bringing on young players and having a core of players that have
come through Uni or the CoE, is a good thing, and there is a lot
of potential in the young players coming through.
#Post#: 156028--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: honkytonk
Date: July 4, 2026, 12:21 am
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Id be shocked if we didnt bring in a few more
#Post#: 156031--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: poorfour
Date: July 4, 2026, 2:32 am
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--- Quote from: honkytonk link ---
>
> Id be shocked if we didnt bring in a few more
>
--- End Quote ---
I think that’s a possibility - there are a lot of good players
out there without clubs.
But I think the dynamic may be shifting towards the younger
players, for two reasons. One is that because the club can fund
education outside of the cap, it works for both sides to have
players who are still students.
The other is that the first generation of players who’ve gone
through the RFU PDGs are now in or starting uni. I think that
might be the equivalent of the point in the men’s game when the
academy system got overhauled and the quality of the players
coming through shot up.
#Post#: 156032--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 4, 2026, 3:43 am
---------------------------------------------------------
We may perhaps pick up a couple of overseas players, who want to
play in the PWR, but as Pourfour has said, the present structure
of the cap is very much that clubs can pay university fees and
provide accommodation, without spending any of the cap for fees,
and very little for accommodation.
Clubs will look to talented young players, and players with
central contracts for most of their squads.
#Post#: 156034--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: Yareet
Date: July 4, 2026, 3:46 am
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The issue with that approach is it hollows out the middle
market.
In the men’s game, we often say the ideal player is
Test-standard but never picked. That’s exactly who this
philosophy would rule out.
#Post#: 156037--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 4, 2026, 4:45 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> The issue with that approach is it hollows out the middle
market.
>
> In the men’s game, we often say the ideal player is
Test-standard but never picked. That’s exactly who this
philosophy would rule out.
>
--- End Quote ---
The problem is that the women’s cap is £220k, the main wriggle
room is education fees and the way that accommodation costs are
worked out.
There is also a limited opportunity for personal sponsorship of
players by companies or individuals not financially involved
with the club.
Unlike the men’s league the PWR is still majority owned by the
RFU, and they are determined that the league is economically
viable, and does not repeat the errors made when the men’s game
turned pro.
The RFU approach is to develop future international players and
not make the PWR a money pit, the women’s game player
development hotspot is the BUCS super league (WBSR) , and that
explains the current approach.
That is why it was so important to Harlequins that the
university of Surrey were promoted this year, clubs not having
an associated WBSR university will struggle until the PWR
becomes a professional league.
The present approach is not ideal, but unless you massively
increase the cap it is probably the most pragmatic and getting
your tuition fees paid and being rent free at university is not
a bad deal for young players.
The proposed expansion of the PWR and which clubs or regions are
admitted will determine how the league develops.
#Post#: 156047--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: poorfour
Date: July 4, 2026, 7:14 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> The issue with that approach is it hollows out the middle
market.
>
> In the men’s game, we often say the ideal player is
Test-standard but never picked. That’s exactly who this
philosophy would rule out.
>
--- End Quote ---
Sorry, meant to hit Agree to Rugbycat’s post, and ended up with
Funny.
The clubs are building the best squads they can given the
constraints of the cap.
In the men’s game, you’re absolutely right. Players like Kohn
and Robson don’t command the salary boost that comes from being
an international, but play to nearly that level. They’re great
value.
In the women’s game, they’re not. The cap won’t allow them to be
paid enough to play full time, so they have to have a day job.
You get more value out of players whose salaries are primarily
paid by their unions, and students who can generally train in
something more like a professional pattern.
Most of the players coming in to the system have been U18 or U21
players or very close to it. Not all of them will make it to
full international, but nearly all of them will feel they have a
chance. In a lot of cases, I think it ends when they realise
they won’t make it and the pressure to make a proper living
overtakes their dreams - or someone else offers them a better
combination of job and playing opportunity - or the club sees a
younger player who is still in education and has similar or
higher potential.
#Post#: 156051--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Women Squad 2026/27
DIR By: Yareet
Date: July 4, 2026, 8:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> Sorry, meant to hit Agree to Rugbycat’s post, and ended up
with Funny.
>
> The clubs are building the best squads they can given the
constraints of the cap.
>
> In the men’s game, you’re absolutely right. Players like Kohn
and Robson don’t command the salary boost that comes from being
an international, but play to nearly that level. They’re great
value.
>
> In the women’s game, they’re not. The cap won’t allow them to
be paid enough to play full time, so they have to have a day
job. You get more value out of players whose salaries are
primarily paid by their unions, and students who can generally
train in something more like a professional pattern.
>
> Most of the players coming in to the system have been U18 or
U21 players or very close to it. Not all of them will make it to
full international, but nearly all of them will feel they have a
chance. In a lot of cases, I think it ends when they realise
they won’t make it and the pressure to make a proper living
overtakes their dreams - or someone else offers them a better
combination of job and playing opportunity - or the club sees a
younger player who is still in education and has similar or
higher potential.
>
--- End Quote ---
Not disagreeing with your synopsis - you’re clearly much closer
to the women’s game - but rather the outcome.
I’m thinking of somebody who’s England’s 4th choice in their
position (let’s say Bo Westcombe-Evans).
She’s 24 this summer so possibly done with education but it’d
take a fair amount of change for her to be an England regular -
Breach and CMM seemingly first choice; Millie Whizz and Ellie
behind them.
She’s clearly a Test-standard player but would be stuck between
being too good to be a semi-pro and not quite good enough to
oust the incumbent.
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