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South Africa Rugby intends to create a women’s professional league with up to 150 players as early as next year. The organization aims to make “amazing strides” in the women’s game globally, according to Reuters.
The sport’s governing body said in a statement that provincial rugby unions have been asked to submit bids for three-year franchises in the new Women’s Super League Rugby (WSLR), with monetary assistance including travel expenses.
“The women’s game is making amazing strides across the world and South Africa,” SA Rugby President Mark Alexander said.
“We want to match that growth by providing an appropriate aspirational, high-performance platform for South African women,” he said, adding that it had been the body’s priority for several years.
Most teams in South Africa’s top-flight Women’s Premier Division do not have players on professional contracts.
Bulls Daisies became the first women’s professional rugby team in South Africa last year, with a roster of 35 contracted players.
