13 lesbian women’s rugby couples playing hard and loving harder

Women’s sports are overwhelmingly queer. From the WNBA to the National Women’s Soccer League and now women’s rugby, sapphics are dominating in the world of sports.

There are 54 queer women currently competing in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and in case you thought it couldn’t get any gayer, more than a dozen rugby players are either dating their teammates or their rivals.

These sapphics love hard and play hard, sometimes playing together and other times battling it out against each other on the pitch. In the end, love always wins!rugby

Alev Kelter And Kathryn Treder

Rugby stars Alev Kelter and Kathryn Treder have been playing together for years. They were teammates on the Loughborough Lightning, are currently both representing the U.S. in the Rugby World Cup, and are set to play together in the inaugural season of Elite Women’s Rugby for the Bay Breakers. The two athletes got engaged in 2024, when Kelter proposed after winning a Bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan

After spending a few years on opposing teams, Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan are now partners in life and on the pitch. The couple play together at home on the Saracens and are currently fighting it out side-by-side for England in the Rugby World Cup. Packer and Galligan got engaged in June 2025 in a sweet lakeside proposal they shared on social media.

Mckenzie Carson and Sarah Bern

Couple Mckenzie Carson and Sarah Bern are both rivals and teammates. They usually play on opposing teams, with Carson playing for Gloucester-Hartpury and Bern competing for Bristol Bears. But at this year’s Rugby World Cup the two star athletes are playing together for England’s Red Roses.

Holly Aitchison and Hannah Botterman

Holly Aitchison and Hannah Botterman first met in college, where they bonded over their love of rugby at Hartpury College, and a decade later, they’re partners in life and on the pitch. While the two have played on the same team before, they are about to be rivals with Aitchison joining the Sale Sharks ahead of the 2025-26 season and Botterman playing for Bristol Bears. Luckily, they are currently playing together in the Rugby World Cup where they are representing England.

Dannah O’Brien and Katie Whalen

Dannah O’Brien is currently in the Rugby World Cup competing for Ireland, but she normally plays alongside her partner Katie Whalen for Leinster.

Giordana Duca and Michela Sillari

Italian rugby stars Giordana Duca and Michela Sillari have been teammates over and over again during the course of their relationship. They played together in the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup, competed on the same team in the Six Nations Championship, and are currently competing together in the 2025 World Cup games.

Leia Brebner-Holden and Elis Martin

Leia Brebner-Holden is in a relationship with fellow rugby star Elis Martin. The two athletes played against each other when Brebner-Holden was playing for Gloucester-Hatpury and Martin was competing for Loughborough Lightning, but now both women are on the Lightning and currently competing together at the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers and Alisha Butchers

Three-time Olympian Jasmine Joyce-Butchers may currently be representing Wales at the 2025 Rugby World Cup without her wife, Alisha Butchers, but they normally share the pitch together as part of the Bristol Bears. The two lovebirds got married in December 2023 and are now looking forward to welcoming their first child in November.

Kayleigh Powell and Lucy Burgess

Wales rugby star Kayleigh Powell is currently competing in the Rugby World Cup, but outside of the international competition, she plays alongside her girlfriend Lucy Burgess. Powell and Burgess used to play together on the Bristol Bears, and now both compete for the Harlequins.

Charli Jacoby and Lori Cramer

Charli Jacoby and Lori Cramer met through rugby and started dating about 18 months ago. While they’ve been dating, they’ve played together on the Exeter Chiefs and now are competing against each other in the Rugby World Cup. Jacoby is playing for the United States, while Cramer is competing for Australia.

Julia Schell and Rachel Malcom

Rugby stars Julia Schell and Rachel Malcom started dating about 18 months ago and while they were teammates on the Exeter Chiefs, they are now going head-to-head in the rugby World Cup. Schell is representing Canada and Malcom is the captain of Scotland’s team.

Kelsey Jones and Sarah Beckett

Welsh Rugby World Cup star Kelsey Jones and her partner, Sarah Beckett, play together for Gloucester-Hartpury, but earlier this year they got to experience what it’s like to be on rival teams. Jones played for Wales while Beckett represented England at the 2025 Six Nations Championship.

Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald 

Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald got married in May 2025 on the Greek Island of Rhodes, and after they wed, Claudia took Cliodhna’s last name. They may be living in wedded bliss, but the two women are both teammates and rivals on the pitch. They play together for Exeter Chiefs, but are playing against each other in the Rugby World Cup where Cliodhna represents Ireland while Claudia competes for England.