Harlequins’ Sarah Bonar on Big Game 15: ‘Women’s rugby actually marketable now’
Club rugby at the home of the sport, Twickenham Stadium, is nothing new to the men’s Premiership with regular fixtures and finals played at the iconic arena every season.
But this weekend’s clash between Harlequins’ women and reigning Premiership Women’s Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury is the third in what is hoped to be an annual fixture at Twickenham for the domestic side who call The Stoop home.
Last year’s clash against Exeter Chiefs was the first leg in a double header for Harlequins and the West Country club, with both men’s and women’s sides sharing the hallowed turf in south west London.
Crowds, record rugby crowds
This year, though, it is a bigger challenge than ever with the champions Gloucester-Hartpury in town, along with their sibling male side who are without a win in seven Premiership games.
So with over 70,000 fans expected in Twickenham and Gloucester famous for its travelling support, Harlequins and Scotland lock Sarah Bonar is looking forward to the clash.
“We’re going to get some big crowds by playing last season’s champions,” Bonar tells City PM “So it’s going to be a big fixture and like Quins [they’re always] trying to break the most attendees at a women’s club fixture. It’s just exciting both on and off the pitch really.
“It’s two very exciting matches back-to-back. Gloucester bring such an exciting game but we are at home – what an occasion it is to step up and take on the champions.
“The season so far has not been like the start we anticipated. We’ve had a bit of a slow start, but with each game we’re taking a few more positives away and rebuilding.
“But it’s certainly going to be exciting and we’re all looking forward to stepping up to the challenge.”
Rugby finally marketable
Harlequins have won just one of their four matches this season, a 22-17 opening weekend victory against league newcomers Ealing Trailfinders, but have since struggled against the likes of former champions Saracens, last year’s finalists Exeter and Sale Sharks, who sit above them in the nine-team league.
And though Harlequins are one win from two in previous Big Game fixtures (they toppled Wasps in 2021), Bonar insists this year’s rebranded Premiership Women’s Rugby is more competitive than ever before.
“This is by far our most competitive season we’ve had in the women’s Premiership,” she says.
“There’s no easy game whatsoever. But it’s exciting, results could literally go either way and the top four is not set.
“Each game is a spectacle for spectators to come and watch and grow the game. We’ve actually got something to really market and actually it’s worth getting out on your Saturday for.”
European tour?
Earlier this year City PM revealed that the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), who run the Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, were working on plans for a women’s final which would see the English and French champions compete against each other on the same week as the two men’s finals.
And while this plan has been put off for another season at a minimum, it’s something players like Bonar are keen to see.
“I’m assuming it would involve other nations as well, which would be really good to grow the game in those nations to make it competitive,” she adds. “That’d be really cool, if we could get that in our calendar, for fans to engage with and also travel to different places.”
Gloucester-Hartpury, the first winners of the league to be based outside of London, are unbeaten thus far in the 2023-24 season, albeit they have played just three games – the least of any side this year – due to various circumstances.
And “The Circus”, as they’re known, pulled in over 10,000 fans for last year’s final, which was handily staged at their joint home of Kingsholm.
The rowdy fans in the West Country have gotten behind their women’s team in huge numbers and though attendance records for double headers are often discounted in some official statistics, they’ll certainly play their part in hoping that this Big Game is the highest attended of any club women’s game ever.