The team was severely underfunded, surviving the 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup by bartering and selling items of kit and other artefacts such as vodka.

[2] When they arrived in Wales, they resorted to selling or bartering their vodka, caviar and sportswear in order to pay for their living expenses as they were not allowed to take any money out of the Soviet Union.

[2] Officers from HM Customs and Excise visited the team when they heard about the illicit vodka sales but left without issuing any enforcement due to the language barrier.

[3] The story was reported in national newspapers in the United Kingdom, which led to several donations being given to cover their expenses,[4] including meals from a local pie merchant, £1,200 from an anonymous donor and £100 from the mother of the Welsh team's hooker.

[1][2] The tournament organisers were left with a £30,000 debt owed to the Rugby Football Union after it, which was mainly attributed to the Soviet team as they were unable to pay their expenses.