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Sale Sharks have launched a bid to enter the Premier 15s, England's top women's rugby union league, next season.

The Rugby Football Union will award four licences in March for a revised 10-team league starting in 2020-21.

Sharks first set up a women's side in September 2018 and have committed to spend over £1m across a three-year period if they join the Premier 15s.

Fellow Premiership side Exeter also launched a bid in September.

Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond said: "To have a high performance team aligned with a Premiership club in the North West will be fantastic for the women's game as a whole, and should help grow participation numbers at grassroots as well as increasing the opportunity for players from the region to experience top level rugby without the need to relocate."

The RFU set up the current 10-team Premier 15s format in time for the start of the 2017-18 season, with each team having a three-year licence.

They will based on a combination of their on-pitch performance and their ability to deliver the minimum standards in off-field support and infrastructure. The top six sides based on that audit will be given a licence for the next three years.

The remaining four teams, along with the winners of the Championship North and Championship South, will be invited to re-tender for a place in the league, along with other clubs - like Sale and Exeter - that wish to apply.