The club tournament involving three federations raises the bar after a very positive 2023/24 edition
Celtic Challenge: 10 teams from 2024/25
The transnational women’s tournament called Celtic Challenge is ready to welcome a new format in view of the next 2024/25 season.
The competition, which brings together six teams representing the Unions of Wales, Scotland and Ireland, is preparing to move from five annual matches to ten annual matches.
The return match is thus introduced which will allow more matches to be played starting from December 2024 and to approach the start of the 2025 Six Nations with more minutes in the legs and obviously with more experience.
The expansion of the Celtic Challenge is seen as another step in the growth of the women’s game. It will also be able to significantly help the improvement of the players before the 2025 World Cup.
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The applause of World Rugby and the participating federations
World Rugby said the first transnational women’s club competition had made ‘impressive gains’, thanks to increased stadium attendances, live match broadcast deals (BBC and Rugbypass TV) and helped ‘close the gap’ between national and international rugby.
Launching in 2022, the Celtic Challenge has doubled in size this season from three to six teams with the introduction of two Scottish teams.
Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning represent Wales, Ireland have Irish Wolfhounds and Clovers, while Scotland field Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.
This year’s tournament was won by Wolfhounds. As many as 68 players went on to be part of the Six Nations, including eight who made their debut in the continent’s premier tournament.
“We are very ambitious around the Celtic Challenge,” said Nigel Walker, Executive Director of the Welsh FA. The tournament “Has already demonstrated its value from a performance perspective, players and coaches will see it as a key step on the path to professional and international recognition.”
Irish Rugby’s head of women’s, Gillian McDarby, said the tournament was “integral” to growing the game in Ireland and ensuring a competitive national team, while Gemma Fay, head of Scottish Rugby, added: “The 2023 Celtic Challenge -24 was a success for our federation. This allows us to take another step in our pipeline towards women’s international rugby in Scotland.”
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