Nottingham Outlaws Women’s Team are delighted to announce they will be playing at a national level for the first time, as their application to join the National Leagues was approved by the RFL.
The recent re-vamp of the women’s league structures sees two new divisions created below Super League and the Outlaws will be plying their trade in National League 1, just one step down from the Women’s Super League!
The opposition will be tough as the Outlaws will be up against some well known teams in a highly competitive league that includes Halifax Panthers, Illingworth, Methley Warriors, Orrell St James, Rochdale Hornets, Thatto Heath and Wigan St Patricks.
The formal fixture list has yet to be unveiled but the league will kick off in April which gives joint coaches Mark Stockman an Stew Readhead around eight weeks to assemble the squad and put them through their paces before the season starts.
On hearing the news of their successful application, coach Readhead was quick to show his delight, commenting “It’s always been recognised that there’s a huge amount of talent and ability in the Midlands women’s rugby. This is the first step to testing and developing that raw resource and allowing all abilities within the female game go as far as they want in Rugby League. Indeed this is a huge opportunity to finally showcase the potential for women’s Rugby League in the city”
The Outlaws women have made great progress in recent seasons and last year they came up against a number of strong teams that were already playing at National level and they more than held their own, taking a few scalps in the process so the coaching staff are quietly confident that they will be able to acquit themselves at this lofty level. However, for now the focus is very much on celebrating the fact that they have finally joined the National elite as coach Mark Stockman pointed out, adding “This is a huge opportunity to finally showcase the potential for women’s rugby league in the city. We have huge ambitions and goals for the 2023 season and that starts with todays announcement”