“Poppy Cleall Discusses Challenges of Shortened Premiership Season and Impact on Player Workload”

Poppy Cleall, the Saracens back row player, has expressed her concerns regarding player workload in the newly shortened ’s Rugby season, which kicks off this Saturday. Cleall believes that the condensed schedule will challenge the depth of all nine clubs' squads. This season maintains the same number of fixtures but compresses them into a shorter timeframe. Unlike last season, which spanned from November to June, the 2024-25 campaign will run from October to March. The revised schedule, which includes designated rest weeks, is designed to provide international players with a recovery period between the Women’s Six Nations and the upcoming 2025 Rugby World Cup, set to take place in England starting on August 22. Cleall anticipates that the changes will lead to more unexpected victories for underdog teams, as the demands of the season may level the playing field. As she aims to secure a spot on the England squad for the World Cup, she is keenly aware of the physical toll this new format may impose on players.