Chiefs Women Announced with Red Roses Contracts

Six Exeter Chiefs Women players have been announced in the group receiving full-time and transition Red Roses contracts for the 2024/25 season.

England Rugby can today confirm the 32 Red Roses players under contract for the 2024/25 season.

Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), who earned five international caps in the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, has been awarded her maiden full-time England contract, as has two-time capped prop Liz Crake (Trailfinders Women).

Twenty nine of the 32 featured in the Red Roses’ successful Grand Slam-winning Six Nations triumph.

Last year the Red Roses, in collaboration with the Rugby Players Association, agreed a three-season agreement up to June 2026. This included salaries, match fees, Rugby World Cup 2025 arrangements, commercial and community engagement initiatives as well as an agreement around revenue sharing if business targets are exceeded.

In addition to the full-time contracts, eight players have secured transition contracts. Liz Hanlon (Exeter Chiefs) – a Red Roses debutant in the 88-10 victory over Ireland at Twickenham Stadium in April – England Under-20 back row Steph Else and England Women’s youngest cap Mia Venner (both Gloucester-Hartpury) are new faces among the transition list.

These contracts support aspiring Red Roses in their early professional journey, and safeguard some of their week for dedicated rugby development.

Head of Women’s Performance, Charlie Hayter, said: “This Red Roses group is extremely competitive, and the standards continue to go from strength to strength, as evidenced in this year’s Six Nations.

“Everyone involved in the programme is dedicated and committed to the journey that lies ahead, and striving towards a common purpose of growing the game in this country and contest the right to be successful at next year’s home Rugby World Cup.

“Before then, the immediate focus is on best preparing ourselves for our September fixtures against world class opposition in France and New Zealand, before heading to WXV 1 in Canada.”

Red Roses Head Coach, John Mitchell, added: “We trust each other and our style of rugby, and have belief our game is working for us.

“There is still a lot of room for growth in us and we have taken a lot of learning from our last Test match against France to move us forward.

“We are focused and determined to climb again and take our game to another level.”

Contracted Players:

Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears)

Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears)

Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears)

Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears)

Jess Breach (Saracens)

Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Kelsey Clifford (Saracens)

Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers)

Liz Crake (Trailfinders Women)

Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women)

Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs)

Rosie Galligan (Saracens)

Zoe Harrison (Saracens)

Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers)

Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning)

Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins)

Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)

Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning)

Lucy Packer (Harlequins)

Marlie Packer (Saracens)

Connie Powell (Harlequins)

Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning)

Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning)

Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks)

Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears)

Ella Wyrwas (Saracens)

Transition Contracted Players:

Maisy Allen (Exeter Chiefs)

Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs)

Grace Clifford (Loughborough Lightning)

Steph Else (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Lizzie Hanlon (Exeter Chiefs)

Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning)

Nancy McGillivary (Exeter Chiefs)

Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury)