Rugby evening headlines as new league planned and region calls for equal funding

Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Tuesday, April 26.

Plans are afoot to create a women’s version of the United Rugby Championship. Tournament chief executive Martun Anayi revealed: "We had a strategy day recently and we asked everybody what are the top three things you want to see URC doing over the next five years and a women’s competition came in the top three of everybody.

"I have done a lot of work recently asking our clubs and Unions where everybody is and what their plans are. We think the URC can be a key part of how the Women’s Six Nations can get even bigger and stronger. We just need to try to work out how we bring that about.

"We would like to get it going sooner rather than later because the women’s games deserves that. I think we can pull together a really great competition. There is a definitely a will. It just feels like we should have a women’s competition. We are just exploring how that comes about now."

The complete Welsh rugby performance that just had Justin Tipuric purring

All of Wales' Six Nations matchday players ply their club trade over the border in England's Allianz Premier 15s to get the highest level of regular rugby on offer. Most clubs are affiliated to a men's Gallagher Premiership side.

WRU performance director Nigel Walker has previously spoken of his desire to improve the standard of women's club rugby in Wales so internationals have the option of playing here instead of travelling to England multiple times per week for training and games. A request for a Welsh team to join the Premier 15s was previously rejected by the RFU, but Walker said last month that nothing was off the table.

Ospreys chief executive Nick Garcia believes all four Welsh regions should receive the