Spotlight: England Students shine on their long-awaited return

This month's spotlight is on the England Students Women's programme.

August not only marked the start of an incredible Rugby World Cup on home soil, but also the significant return of the England Students Women’s programme. In their first match in 20 years, the team secured a 74-22 victory over the UKAF Women’s Rugby team.

Led by Head Coach Andrew Ford, alongside Assistant Coaches Poppy Leitch and Amber Reed, and Team Manager Charlotte Ankerstjerne, the squad included players from various BUCS institutions, including Exeter, Hartpury, Loughborough, Brunel, Winchester and Worcester.

Image Credits: Fairlight Creative

The squad gathered for a week-long training camp at Aldershot Garrison, generously hosted by the UK Armed Forces Women's Rugby team, which includes players from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force. This event was part of their preparation for the Women's International Defence Rugby Competition.

Not only was the fixture an opportunity to showcase the growing female rugby talent nurtured through higher education in England, but it also provided training and development in areas such as strength and conditioning, medical support, analysis, and communications.

Speaking after the match, Katy Storie, former England international, SRFU Trustee, and RFU Council Member, said: “This has been a long time in the making, and they've made history tonight. This is England Students Women in a new era, an era where women can play rugby professionally.

“How they played tonight and the standard that they played and put on display could be the difference between them making it into a Red Roses shirt. It could be a difference in them getting a professional contract or playing in a PWR team.

“But actually, for me, they got to wear the rose. That's the most important thing. They got to stand there and know they were the best in the country on that day in that shirt in that sector as a student. And that's fantastic, people haven’t had that opportunity for 20 years, and they knew that.

“I don't think any of those players left anything out there. I think they absolutely put their heart and soul into it. I really hope this is just the start of everything, because they deserve to have a lot more games like this.

“When you put on a show like that, the spectators want to see it as well.”

Have a story you want spotlighted? Get in touch with Elly White, Head of Communications e.white@studentsrfu.com!