England coach LJ Lewis believes the inaugural Women's Summer Series will give young players something to aspire to as they look to follow in the footsteps of their heroes and forge an exciting international career. 

The first women’s Under-20s tournament of its kind runs from 4th-14th July with England taking on Ireland, Wales, and France in Parma across three mouth-watering matchdays.

The world-renowned opera house, Teatro Regio di Parma, was the setting for the tournament launch – with its Neoclassical architecture and Corinthian columns a pleasing contrast between the old and new – and boss Lewis believes an enthralling new chapter awaits her young stars.  

“The Women’s Summer Series is a step forward for the women’s game,” explained Lewis, formerly a coach for Bristol and Wasps.

“Our U18s have had a festival for a couple of seasons, but post-Covid there’s been a lack of competition, even in the club space, so this is a brilliant way of showing the talent that’s in all of our countries.

“In England, we’ve got some amazing talent in this age group, and I’m really excited for them to show who they are on this stage.”

Captain Lilli Ives Campion of Loughborough Lightning said the importance of the first-ever Women’s Summer Series wasn’t lost on her and her teammates.

“With this being a new competition, we want to get the best out of it and perform, but it’s also about growing the game,” said the second row from Shrewsbury.

“This is such a good experience for everyone. There are two sides to it: the game side, but also the learning experience for the players.”

Ives Campion hailed the support she had received from friends and family back home, and also offered a couple of names for fans to look out for: playmakers Amelia MacDougall (Saracens) and Ella Cromack (Harlequins).

Joining an incredible summer of sport, the series stands to showcase the future stars of the international women’s game.

Round one kicks off on Thursday 4th July, with France taking on Wales, before England face Ireland, and then Italy host Scotland in the late kick-off. The remaining matchdays will take place on the 9th and 14th of July.

To celebrate the debut of soon-to-be stars of the game, the Women’s Summer Series will recognise the best individual performer from each team with a new Most Valuable Player Award (MVP).

Fans all over the world will be able to follow all the action, via exclusive coverage on the Six Nations U20 YouTube channel, with commentary in English (and Italian for the matches featuring Italy). Supporting coverage will also be provided across the dedicated Six Nations U20 social media channels.

Commenting on the Women’s Summer Series, Six Nations Chief of Rugby, Julie Paterson said: “This is a new and exciting development opportunity for young players, coaches, and officials to gain experience on the international stage. As a key strategic pillar of Six Nations Rugby, its unions and federations, the intention is to nurture the growth of the women’s game in a sustainable and engaging way for the players.

 “The addition of the Women’s Summer Series, as a new step on the development pathway, is also part of the commitment to give these athletes a clear line of sight on when, where and how they can gain international experience and honours.”

The Women’s Summer Series is available to fans all over the world via exclusive coverage on the Six Nations U20 YouTube channels, with supporting coverage across dedicated U20 Six Nations social media channels.