Premiership Women’s Rugby: Gloucester-Hartpury to face Saracens in final rematch on opening weekend of new season
Published 06/08/2025 at 15:17 GMT+1
The Premiership Women's Rugby fixtures have been announced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with TNT Sports and discovery+ set to bring you all the thrills. The stand-out fixture of the opening round is between title-holders Gloucester-Hartpury and last season's runners-up Saracens on October 26. Harlequins open the PWR campaign as they host Loughborough Lightning on October 24.
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Gloucester-Hartpury will host Saracens in an enthralling start to their respective Premiership Women's Rugby seasons.
The two sides clashed in last season's final, with Gloucester-Hartpury winning 34-19 to secure their third successive title.
And they will renew pleasantries in the last match of the opening round of fixtures, with the 2025-26 campaign getting underway on October 24 as Harlequins host Loughborough Lightning.
The second of the meetings between last year's finalists will take place on March 14 at the StoneX Stadium.
Saracens' opening weeks of the campaign look particularly challenging, as they face Harlequins, who finished last season in third place, on November 2, before an equally challenging test against last season's play-off semi-finalists Bristol Bears a week later.
Bristol, who suffered defeat to Gloucester-Hartpury in the play-offs in March, have the chance to avenge that painful reverse as they host the champions on November 30.
The 2025-26 Premiership Women's Rugby season will be available to watch via TNT Sports and discovery+.
The beginning of the PWR season is later this year due to the Women's Rugby World Cup, which begins on August 22 and runs until September 27.
The play-off semi-finals are slated to take place on the weekend beginning June 13, 2026, while the PWR final is set to occur two weeks later.
Genevieve Shore, Executive Chair of PWR said: "The upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup presents PWR with a huge opportunity to raise the awareness of women's rugby and our incredible athletes.
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"When putting together the fixtures we were conscious of needing to start our season with a bang and keep those new fans engaged. The early weeks of the season are filled with blockbuster matchups and will undoubtedly provide a showcase of elite talent and top-quality rugby.
"The growth of attendances at PWR matches is right at the top of our priority list for this coming season and we're really hopeful that after a home World Cup, people will head along to our clubs and experience the excitement of a game in person.
"The World Cup will have the world's best players competing for the game's biggest prize; but the PWR has world class players every week. If fans like what they see during the World Cup, then they should definitely stick around for the new PWR season."
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Key PWR fixtures
Friday, October 24
19:45 - Harlequins v Loughborough Lightning
Sunday, October 26
15:00 - Gloucester-Hartpury v Saracens
Sunday, November 2
15:00 - Saracens v Harlequins
Sunday, November 9
12:30 - Harlequins v Gloucester-Hartpury
Sunday, November 30
12:30 - Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury
Saturday, February 14
TBC - Gloucester-Hartpury v Harlequins
Saturday, March 14
TBC - Saracens v Gloucester-Hartpury
Saturday, June 6
TBC - Gloucester-Hartpury v Bristol Bears
Saturday, June 13
Play-off semi-finals (TBC)
Saturday, June 27
PWR final
Stream the Gallagher Premiership and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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