Wallaroos fly-half Grace Freeman signs with Leicester Tigers for 2025-26 PWR season

Grace Freeman, the 25-year-old fly-half who holds a Wallaroos national contract, has signed with Leicester Tigers for the 2025-26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season after impressing on her return from a lengthy injury layoff with Western Force.

Freeman missed 450 days of rugby after sustaining a significant foot injury against the Fijian Drua during the 2024 Super Rugby Women’s campaign, having previously represented the Melbourne Rebels. She returned to action in June and was awarded a national contract by Rugby Australia in November, with a Test debut for the Wallaroos expected in the near future.

“I am super keen to get over to England and get amongst it,” Freeman said. “It’s going to be a really good opportunity to grow my game and challenge my abilities by playing with and against the best. Tigers seem like a really connected group that are growing with every season and I look forward to making an impact.”

Leicester’s Director of Women’s Rugby, Fraser Goatcher, highlighted Freeman’s versatility as a key factor in the recruitment. “Grace is a dual-threat player, she’s a good running 10 but has also got a really intelligent boot on her, so she’s going to put us in the right places to play on the pitch.”

The New Zealand-born playmaker is not the only Western Force arrival at Welford Road. Leicester have also confirmed the signing of outside back Halley Derera, 28, who brings two seasons of PWR experience from her time with Exeter Chiefs.

“I’m really excited to join Tigers — I’ve been invigorated by the energy that I’ve seen in the programme,” Derera said. “I love watching the PWR and English rugby; I’m keen to get stuck in and have the opportunity to play week in week out. I’m super excited to link up with JMac [Jemima McCalman] after having played with her at Sydney University and the ACT Brumbies.”

The double signing from Western Force signals Leicester’s intent to strengthen their squad with proven southern-hemisphere talent as the club continues to build momentum in the women’s game.