Not a single Wales squad member for the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup plays their club rugby in Wales. Let that sink in for a moment.
Not necessarily a problem for each of the 32 players on an individual basis, it has presented the Welsh Rugby Union with a conundrum for some time when considered as a collective trend, even a necessity, as players travel across the border to play the most meaningful, high-quality club rugby that is available to them in between international campaigns.
The subject of how best to bridge the gap between grassroots and international women's rugby in Wales has been in performance director Nigel Walker's in-tray since he joined the WRU a year ago, with the ambition to eventually provide a comparable club rugby option on home soil to complete a standalone pathway.
