The second Betway Women's Club Championship gets underway at Alberton Rugby Club on 20 September, with 16 teams competing across three match days — 21, 23 and 25 September — in a format mirroring the FNB Youth Weeks.
Defending champions Kwaru, who beat Walker Babes 17-14 in last year's final, return to headline the Premier Division alongside Harlequins (Blue Bulls), Busy Bees (WP), Pirates (Lions), Walker Babes (Boland), Mqanduli Sharks (Border) and Durban University of Technology (KZN). The eight-team First Division features sides from Griffons, Pumas, Griquas, Limpopo, Leopards, Valke, SWD and EP.
The tournament runs weeks after the Springbok Women hosted the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium for the first time, with the Alberton venue lying just south of that ground. The Golden Lions Rugby Union again host the event.
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer described the championship as aimed at elevating the domestic game at grassroots level, while Betway Africa's Head of Sponsorship Jason Shield pointed to the tournament's role in strengthening development pathways for women players nationally.
All Premier Division matches across the first two match days will be broadcast live on SuperSport and SA Rugby's YouTube channel.