Author: EC

Hello everyone, it’s been a while! Happy New Year to all of you. I hope you’re all safe and well. This is a bit of a spontaneous blog, I hope you all enjoy it – please feel free to leave a comment or like. I love interacting with you all. 

2021/2022 Premiership 

I think it’s fair to say we’ve all witnessed some cracking fixtures this season and we’ve only just reached the half way point! Leicester have continued to dominate in the Premiership and sit in first place, despite Wasps edging out a win against them this weekend. It was a frustrating loss but the winning run had to come to an end at some point. Bath sit bottom of the table. However, they did manage to pick up their first win of the season against Worcester. This will hopefully give the team a confidence boost which they so desperately need. I’d love to hear from you – what have been your favourite moments so far in this campaign? As a Leicester fan, my favourite moment has to be Northampton away for me. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know my Dad is a Northampton fan. Being able to go to the game and win was very satisfying and the atmosphere was spine tingling. I had a brilliant time and Dad had to buy me a pint as he lost the bet! A cracking day out with friends and family. 

Six Nations 2022 

It’s not long until the Six Nations which is my favourite tournament. It always falls on my birthday month and I love having my family over to watch the games with me. As an English fan, I’m very much looking forward to seeing who Eddie and Simon select. I thoroughly enjoyed watching some of the younger players be given the opportunity to play in the Autumn, Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith were incredible. Plenty more talent was on show too, they were just a couple of players that stood out for me. Furthermore, I’m excited to watch the women’s tournament too, they played exceptionally well last year and Holly Aitchison has a bright future ahead of her. Abby Dow was another player who shone in my opinion. The women had a lengthy injury list, though still produced some fantastic performances. Their tournament kicks off slightly later this year – 26th March. I’m fortunate enough to have tickets to England v Ireland in April, it’s sure to be a cracker and I’m going with my Mum. It’ll be her first time watching the women live, she’s in for a treat!

A personal note

I’m really excited to see what 2022 holds for me. I had my first personal training session last week, I really enjoyed myself and towards the end of last year, started running. Yesterday, I signed up to do a 5K run in May! I’m nervous but really looking forward to the challenge as three years ago, I couldn’t run at all! I’ve come a long way. Today (Sunday), I had my first coaching session at my local rugby club, St.Ives. I was recommended by a friend to help out with the U9’s mixed rugby team. I had a ball (no pun intended!) and there’s potential for me to help form a girls team. I’ve had some experience coaching in the past but today was particularly fun and rewarding. The team are learning how to tackle at the moment – I had a fabulous time teaching the children some basics and the opportunity to demonstrate certain drills. I can’t wait to teach some more skills in the coming weeks, there were so many girls and boys enjoying themselves. Furthermore, I’m pleased to say I’ll be continuing to write for Talking Rugby Union and will be trying to write more regularly for them this year. This is so I can continue to develop my skills as a sports journalist and because..I love it! 

Many thanks for taking time to read my latest blog for All Things Rugby Union. If you like what you’ve read, you can follow me on social media or leave a comment below:

Facebook – Elizabeth Cartwright – Rugby Journalist 

Twitter – @ATRugbyUnion and @_ElizabethC99_

The Red Roses head into the final weekend of their Autumn campaign with a 17-game winning run. Will the USA break it or can Simon Middleton’s side continue their impressive form on Sunday? In this weeks blog, I take a look at what’s gone well for the team, some stand out moments from the series and who’s made their mark ahead of next year’s World Cup in New Zealand. 

Last weekend’s game against Canada was watched by over 1M people on BBC Two, while 900,000 watched Arsenal v Spurs women on BBC One. Seeing hundreds of young girls cheer on the Red Roses at Sandy Park, Franklin’s Gardens and Twickenham Stoop collectively, has been hugely encouraging and makes next year’s World Cup in New Zealand all the more thrilling – women’s rugby really is on the rise. I have no doubt that this weekend’s game at Sixways Stadium will be any different. You can watch the final game of the series at 2.45pm on BBC Two. 

What’s gone well?

When analysing the three games the Red Roses have played, I noticed how dominant they’ve been in defence and have relished the physical battle up front on every occasion. Last weekend’s game showed just why they’re so good – despite the penalty count and some loose attacking play. Canada were there to play and defended England’s maul resolutely, as well as defending their own. Though Sarah Bern and Poppy Cleall were two influential players who took England over the line when it mattered. Canada were outstanding in attack, the scoreboard didn’t tell the full story but England found a way to win, it shows huge testament to where they are as a team. The drive to win is massive within the squad at the moment. 

The Red Roses kicking game has been top notch. Zoe Harrison has been influential throughout the campaign. Her kicking game is the best I’ve seen in women’s rugby for a very long time. Zoe’s consistency and accuracy from the boot has been sublime and I like the fact she has a bit of edge. She’s willing to give anything a go on the pitch – whether that be a grubber kick or drop goal. Her confidence has really grown in recent months. Physically she’s very good too. She’s been consistently playing well in the shirt and is a major part in the girls success this Autumn. 

England are very fortunate to have huge strength in depth within the squad. Not all teams are lucky enough to have that – as we’ve witnessed in this Autumn campaign. You can’t rely on just fifteen players and Simon is doing a very good job in building real squad depth. He’s fortunate enough to have three or four players he can pick in each position which puts the girls in great stead for next years World Cup. It’s a hugely exciting time to be a player and a fan and let’s not forget – Emily Scarratt, Sarah Beckett, Jess Breach and Bryony Cleall are players who haven’t featured yet due to injury – imagine how the squad will look when they return. Oh the joys of being a Red Roses fan!

Stand out moments 

Poppy’s 50th cap and match boots – The powerful back rower received her 50th cap last weekend and was outstanding against the Canadians. Her Grandma was in the stands watching her for the first time too. She also wore the most amazing boots which had her loved ones painted onto them – a really classy touch from @twocustomisers. You can find them on Instagram. The twenty nine year old who’s been nominated for Women’s World Rugby 15’s Player of the Year award, put in a tremendous shift and delivered some magical passes for her team mates to go on and score from. Her work rate is class, her footwork is neat but it’s the speed she moves at that’s impressive – you can see how hard she’s worked on her agility in recent months. She captained her country for the first time the previous week and is a huge force to be reckoned with – a true leader.

Ellie’s sublime pass to set up Abbie Ward’s try against New Zealand (first test) – It was in the first test against the Black Ferns where Ellie Kildunne sparked some magic. Kildunne didn’t receive the best pass from her teammate but managed to recover it by lightly flicking the ball up with her wrist to Abby Dow, who went on a rampaging run where she popped the ball up to Abbie Ward to score – it was one of the best tries I’ve witnessed in a long time. The Sandy Park crowd went wild and rightly so!

Holly Aitchison’s dazzling debut – Holly made her fifteen’s debut in the first test against the Black Ferns and it was a debut to remember for the twenty three year old after scoring a brilliant try towards the end of the match. The centre saw a gap in the Black Ferns defence and danced her way through to score under the posts – the perfect finish for the Saracens star. Her speed, tantalising footwork and ability to see space from afar, make her a talented player. She’s burst onto the England scene in style and I’m sure she’ll be given plenty more opportunities in next year’s Six Nations tournament. 

Who’s impressed this Autumn?

Abby Dow – The twenty four year old speedster broke onto the international stage in 2017 and has been hugely impressive in this year’s Autumn series. The winger who plays for Wasps Women in the Allianz Premier 15’s has scored a staggering 20 tries in 21 tests. She’s just been nominated for the international Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year for her unbelievable effort against France last year in the 2020 Six Nations. She’s a very well rounded player – exceptional in attack and defence, never seems to run out of steam, despite hot stepping most of the opposition. I love watching her as she’s unpredictable. Good at palming off defenders too – a brilliant series from the youngster. Abby Dow – take a bow. 

Sarah Bern – After almost a year out injured, Sarah Bern has come back with a bang. It took the twenty four year old just sixteen seconds to make an impact on her return against the Black Ferns earlier this month. Last week, she was scoring tries for fun and she put in a huge shift defensively – surprisingly quick too! I love her work rate and eye for space, she builds up a head of steam very fast, particularly in the shorter channels. It’s though she’s never been away from the international stage. A joy watching her as she always plays with a smile on her face.

Heather Cowell – The former gymnast made her debut for the Red Roses last weekend, scoring a spectacular try within the first five minutes of her being on the pitch. Cowell ended the half as she started it – by scoring in the corner as England attacked from a penalty in the closing minutes – a dream of a debut for the Harlequins winger. Simon Middleton will have a pleasant selection headache come next year if Heather continues to impress in a Harlequins and Red Roses jersey. I like how physical she is over the ball and again, she has a good eye for space – seems all too familiar. She was a gymnast after all. 

I for one have thoroughly enjoyed watching this year’s Autumn series and it was a pleasure watching the Red Roses defeat the Black Ferns at Franklin’s Gardens a couple of weeks ago. Don’t forget to tune in on Sunday at 2.45pm on BBC Two to watch the final game – it’s sure to be a cracker! 

Thank you for reading,

Elizabeth

If you enjoyed my blog, you can follow my social media channels – 

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Hello everyone!

I hope you’re all well and enjoying the fantastic rugby that’s been on our TV screens recently. I for one can’t wait to return to a rugby stadium when it’s safe to do so. I’m fortunate enough to have now had my Covid vaccine. As a vulnerable person who works in Early Years, I’m thrilled to say I’ve finally had it as it’s been a long time coming. 

It was about this time last year that I interviewed professional rugby player Charlie Beckett who had just spent two years playing for Jersey Reds in the Championship. Fast forward a year and he’s signed for Ampthill, making his debut for the club a couple of weeks ago. Speaking to Charlie on the phone a couple of weeks ago, he described the feelings he had when running out to an empty stadium on his first start for the club, his new podcast and much more. I hope you all enjoy it!

You’ve had quite some year as a professional rugby player. You went from signing a short term deal last season with Gloucester Rugby in the Premiership, to signing for Ampthill Rugby Club in the Championship who were at risk of not being able to take part in the league this season. How great did it feel to make your debut for them a couple of weeks ago? You must have been delighted.

CB: You’re right, it’s been quite a crazy 6-12 months and my personal career has been a bit all over the place. I was on a huge high when I signed for Gloucester and got to play a bit in the Premiership. However, there was also disappointment to not re-sign for them but that’s sometimes the way life goes. I was speaking to Dave Ward who plays for Ampthill, when I was playing for Gloucester and I liked what I heard. They sounded like an ambitious club so when I didn’t get offered another deal at Gloucester, I rang Dave and decided to make the decision to sign for them. It was weird because that was last November and we didn’t know when our campaign was going to be up and running. We’re massively thankful to the fans and the rugby community have been unbelievable, I can’t say thank you enough. You saw how much money was raised on the JustGiving page. We genuinely are playing for the fans. It’s one of the reasons why rugby is one of the best sports in the world. We’re all very very appreciative of the money raised and that’s how we’ve been able to take part this season and play in the Championship. It felt great to be told the news after facing so much uncertainty.

I enjoyed every second of being on the pitch and making my debut. It had been a long time coming and I didn’t even know if it was going to happen or not so it was great and to receive Man of The Match was the icing on the cake! I very rarely receive anything like that so I was happy. I got a decent bottle of prosecco to bring home to my girlfriend so she was very happy! It felt awesome to be on the pitch with a group of lads who I’d been training with for months!

What does a typical training week look like?

CB: The week is totally different to what I’ve ever experienced before. We’re not full time players, only part-time. We train three evenings a week. Which evenings they are, depend on when we play. I commute from Cheltenham as when I was playing at Gloucester, I moved in with my girlfriend there. It takes me two hours to get there but fortunately, training part time has given me that time to study for my financial advisor exams as I’d like to be a part of my Dad’s business in the future which can help prepare me for life after rugby. Even though we are part-time, the club has its own gym which we can use every evening. When we are training though, it’s as professional as every other club I’ve been at and the training sessions are excellent. We get looked after very well and the medical care, the coaches etc are brilliant. It works for us. I’m not going to lie, I had doubts as it’s a big step to go from playing full-time rugby to part-time and I’m not going to lie, eventually I do want to go back to playing full-time but I’m loving it and I cannot remember when I last enjoyed playing rugby this much. I’m having the time of my life and I’m loving it all. I genuinely think we’ve got a good team who can hopefully have a good run of games this season. I’m not saying for a minute, we’re going to break into the top two and go up but we’ve got a competitive squad this season and I’m excited to see what happens.

How difficult was it to play your first game for Ampthill with no crowds? I know players in the Premiership have said it’s somewhat harder to motivate themselves when there is no noise from the crowd? Are you relishing the chance to play in front of your friends and family? 

CB: We’re all desperate for fans to return, especially for such a community club. Everyone knows eachother and are a tight knit group so we’re desperate for them to come back. I think it’s different from playing in the Premiership because we don’t have tens of thousands of fans. Crowds are smaller in the Championship but I don’t think that means there’s any less noise. When you’re on the pitch, the crowd are so loud and passionate. I wrote an article when I was still at Gloucester for Talking Rugby Union about the fans and you do miss them and the buzz from the crowd on match days. You miss being able to talk to the fans after the games; the good, the bad, what they thought you did and didn’t do well and knowing that no matter how badly you’d played or you’d let a result slip, they’d be back next week to support you all over again which we loved and loved having them there so the moment we have fans returning to Ampthill, it’ll be fantastic. I’ve only played there once and that was for Jersey last season. They’re rowdy, they’re loud and in your face so I can’t wait for them to be cheering for me and not against me this season! On the plus side, the Championship games are due to be streamed so hopefully that will encourage the wider rugby community to watch the games. 

So some of your followers on social media will be aware of the podcast you’ve recently become a host on. Can you give the readers an insight as to what it is about, how it started and some of the guests you’ve had on.

CB: My podcast is called Brew With Beckett powered by 92 Degrees. 92 Degrees are a coffee company based in Liverpool. In the first lockdown which was now a year ago which is mental, I created a series on Instagram called Isolation Conversations. I thought this would be a fun thing to do to pass the time in lockdown and a year later, we’re still here (we laugh). During my career, I’ve been very fortunate enough to play with and against some very high profile rugby players and interesting people so I put them on my Instagram live, had a chat with them and had some fun. If it helped just one person cope during the lockdown and put a smile on their face, then I felt it was worth doing. Off the back of that, the CEO of 92 Degrees, got in touch with me and said they’d been looking to get more into the rugby market and they’d be interested in doing something with me. I said to them I’d been planning to start my own podcast for a while and they agreed to sponsor it which was amazing. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the support they’ve given me. Essentially what it is, is I have a brew with some interesting people and listen to their stories. The conversations range from being very funny to quite serious, like when I spoke to LooseHeadz about the mental health charity they run. I always try and keep it fun and light hearted and hope they’re enjoyable to listen to. I’ve had a mixture of guests on. I’ve had Rachael Burford and Rosie Gallagher on, who play in the women’s Premiership. I’ve also had some of the Northampton Saints players on. I spoke to Harry Mallinder and Lewis Ludlam the other day. I had Erin Cuthbert on too who plays women’s football. The final episode aired a couple of weeks ago and I had Jason Bell on! 

 If people want to follow it and give it a listen, where can they find it? 

CB: They can follow it on Twitter and Instagram: @brewwithbeckett. You can listen to it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify too. They’re out every Monday and they’ll be a second series out soon. There’s six episodes in each series.

What motivated you to join Ampthill? Who are you most looking forward to playing against? 

CB: I think playing against Ampthill for Jersey made me realise that while they’re quite a community club, they’re a very ambitious club and speaking to Dave Ward about how they want to play rugby is how I want to play and made me hungry to play the sport I love,  again. Coming out of the disappointment of not being re-signed for Gloucester for a second time, I just wanted to enjoy playing rugby again. They said they’d get the feeling I’d fall back in love with playing again if I signed for them as I fell out of love with the game a bit. They were right as I’m absolutely loving it. We have a lot of fun but when we cross the white line, we’re as serious as anyone. We want to do well this season and win games so I’m very excited to be part of the club. They’ve got big ambitions and I want to be part of that. I think it’s the change I needed in my career and I’m very grateful that Ampthill have given me the opportunity to fall in love with rugby again. I’m very much looking forward to playing Saracens and Ealing. They’re the best two clubs in the league. I’ll be very shocked if they’re not the top two clubs battling it out in the final. For personal reasons, I’m very much looking forward to playing against Jersey. I’ve got a lot of friends who play at Jersey and I always look forward to playing against them and catching up with them after. You always want to beat your old club too! It should be a great game. 

For the readers that aren’t aware, you’re a huge advocate for women’s rugby. Your sister Sarah, plays for Harlequins Women and the Red Roses. One of your most recent articles that you wrote for Talking Rugby Union, attracted responses from Claire Balding and Judy Murray didn’t it? How disappointing is it that the women’s Rugby World Cup has been postponed? Or is it a blessing in disguise because it could attract a bigger audience next year? 

CB: I think that’s a really good question and there’s two ways you can look at it. Obviously it’s really disappointing that it’s been postponed as noone wanted that to happen. I’m hugely sympathetic for all the players as they’ve spent the last four years working towards the tournament. There’s also going to be women who were planning to have children and families which has now had huge repercussions on their life plans. We don’t have to think of that as men which is why I have so much respect for anyone who plays any women’s sport at any level as it’s incredible. The positive side to it though is that we now have eighteen months, to bang the drum and create so much press around the most exciting competition in the history of women’s sport. It will have to have crowds though. 

How important is it the Championship has now returned and loaning players from other clubs? You must know a few players who have benefitted from this? Have you been loaned out to another club yourself? 

CB: Oh, it’shuge Beth. I’ve spoken about this on length on numerous podcasts and I’ve written articles about it too. The Championship is invaluable to English rugby. Why they’re pulling funds out of it rather than pumping money into it, I’ll never know. That aside, loaning players gives them a massive opportunity. When I was at Leicester Tigers, I went on loan to Coventry in National One. Then when I was at Gloucester, I went on loan for a little bit at Hartpury in my second year. In the 2016/17 season though, I went on loan to London Welsh in the Championship from Gloucester in my first year. London Welsh went bust whilst I was there and unfortunately folded. I truly think I’d I’d have done that season at London Welsh and I’d learnt then that season in the Championship, two years later what I’d learnt at Jersey, my career would be in a very different place. I think I’d have been a lot more successful and I’d have done better in my first season at Gloucester as I learnt so much from the time I had at Jersey and what it takes to not be a member of a squad but a member of the squad and the first fifteen. When you’re a young player in the academy, noone really cares about the results. Suddenly though, when you’re playing in the Championship, that result means everything. The whole club are competitive and caring about each individual result. The fans care too. It was heartbreaking seeing the club fold like it did. I’d advise any Premiership player to play in the Championship as it’s invaluable and I can’t stress that enough. We’ve got a number at Ampthill who will learn so much this year. 

Have you got any personal goals for this season? 

CB: I’ve shown to people I can play in the big games. I know I’m capable of playing at the top level as I did it with Leicester and Gloucester. To be honest though Beth, I’ve got too wrapped up in the past of looking at the big goal so I’m just taking it week by week. My aim is to get picked by Ampthill every Saturday and Sunday, play the best I can and enjoy playing rugby again. I’ve done a lot of reflecting in the last six to twelve months and I think I took it all a bit too seriously so I stopped loving it as much. I think it affected how I played. I’ve worked too hard and made too many sacrifices to not enjoy doing this so I just want to enjoy every minute that I’m out there and get picked as we’ve got a competitive squad! 

I hope you all enjoyed my latest blog. It was brilliant catching up with Charlie and hopefully it won’t be too long before I can go and watch him play! 

Take care and stay safe, 

Elizabeth x

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Hello everyone! How is everyone? Quite a lot has happened since I published my last AllThingsRugbyUnion blog four months ago and I’m so thrilled to be able to share it with you all below…enjoy!

In September; I returned to work after shielding for four months. I felt so relieved to have been given the all clear by my consultant and I was delighted to return. I work in a Nursery with three and four year olds and I missed them like crazy! I felt very fortunate that I had a job to return to. I’ve continued to work out which has really helped keep my mental heath at bay during these unprecedented times. Then in October, I was approached by Last Word On Sport to write for them after this blog was found by them on Twitter! I have published four articles for them so far. I can’t wait to cover more rugby union in the New Year. I’ll be honest and say I have always struggled to believe in myself and thought I’m not good enough. It’s only really been in the last three or four years that I have come to realise what I am capable of and that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. So when I was asked to write about the game that I love so much and have my work recognised by top journalists, I felt a real sense of pride. It also gave me the confidence to contact Talking Ruby Union and see if they needed any new writers! I had a video call with one of their very talented sports journalists and here I am, a month later having written three articles for them! I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to work under them and am so excited for what my future holds.

My final piece of good news is that I’ve been offered a new job which I begin in the New Year! I’ll be working in another Nursery but one much closer to home. Although I am apprehensive and will be sad to leave my colleagues and preschool children, I am ready for a new challenge and adventure. Bring on 2021! 

2020 has been a challenging year and it’s not been easy but on reflection, I think it’s been somewhat of a success and am looking forward to seeng what next year brings. 

Thank you to every one of you that have read and shared my blogs, I’m so grateful. Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Stay safe and thanks again, Elizabeth x

You can follow my writing journey below: https://www.facebook.com/JournalistElizabeth/

Or on Twitter: @ATRugbyUnion

Well hello there! I’m sorry I’ve been absent for the last month or so. It’s been so hard juggling work, a social life and watching the rugby so I apologize that the blog has not been as frequent as it used to be. I hope you’re all safe and well. This weekend, I did manage to sit down to watch the local Derby between Leicester and Northampton. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know I support Leicester and have done for about eight years now so I was happy with the effort the squad put in and it was enjoyable seeing them get back to winning ways in the Premiership. Final score: 28-24 to Leicester. 

This was the 245th meeting between the two rugby giants and Leicester got off to a good start. On Youngs’ 250th appearance for the club, he snaffled the ball off the floor and touched down under the posts after the Northampton full-back dropped it due to a thumping tackle he received from the Leicester wing, Nemani Nadolo. The Saints had actually gone ahead with a penalty from Welsh fly-half Dan Bigger after three minutes but their lack of discipline and the boot of Zack Henry put Leicester 16-3 up. 

On the stroke of half an hour, Northampton had the perfect chance to capitalize on Leicester’s ill discipline after two players were sent to the sin bin for the same offence. This was a key moment in the game though as Northampton failed to take any points from the 13 men that were left on the pitch. Both Leicester players then returned and full-back Freddie Steward, struck a beautiful penalty from half way. The nineteen year old had a wonderful game and the future looks bright for Leicester if we can hold onto him. We’ve let a lot of academy and development players leave over the last few years which is frustrating as some have gone on to do wonderful things at big clubs. 

After the break, Henry’s fourth penalty put Leicester 12 points clear but another yellow card was awarded. Replacement prop for Northampton, Paul Hill nearly snatched victory from the home team but Henry struck a beauty of a drop goal from distance and gave Tigers their sixth win this season in the Premiership. 

Saints did get a consolation try but it wasn’t enough to spoil Leicester’s party and they went home with a losing bonus point. In my opinion, Saints lacked composure and didn’t look like they were up for the game. They’ve not been the same team since Cobus Reinach departed. They didn’t look like they had a clear game plan and Furbank didn’t control the game well at all. Leicester still have plenty to work on but their physicality, determination and Zack Henry’s boot is what won them the game. 

Thank you for reading, I’ll be back again soon. Follow my social media channels for more content:

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Twitter: @ATRugbyUnion

Many thanks, Elizabeth x

Hello readers. How are you all? I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been treated to this week! I don’t know about you but exercising in the sun really lifts my mood. I also managed to sit outside on a couple of occasions to tune in and listen to the last in the series of my two favourite podcasts; Rugby Union Weekly and House of Rugby. I’m gutted both podcasts are taking a summer break as they’ve helped lift my spirits every week when I’ve found self-isolating hard. However, I understand why and am hugely excited for when they do return because by then, hopefully, the rugby season will be back up and running. 

The twelve Premiership clubs are still on stage one of training but clubs are hoping to begin stage two in the next couple of weeks. How as a fan do you feel about the possibility of games being played behind closed doors? Or the possibility to travel to a home or away ground to see your beloved team play again if socially distancing is relaxed? Would you feel comfortable? CEO of the Rugby Football Union, Bill Sweeney spoke on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast earlier this week about the difference in which the meter ruling could have on crowds returning and the how it could affect the internationals financially if they do go ahead later this year: “If two meters distance must be observed the maximum crowd would be only 9,500 supporters. However, the one-meter ruling that could be put in place would boost the capacity to around 40,000 fans”. 

In this week’s blog, I will be discussing my thoughts on some more players who I am looking forward to seeing play in the Premiership next season. 

Ben Spencer – Bath (3 year contract)

Earlier this month, it was announced that Ben Spencer was leaving Saracens to join Bath rugby on a three year deal. Ben is known for his threat with ball in hand and his offloading and kicking game is class. Ben was at Saracens for nine years and he’s still only 27. He made over 150 appearances and experienced huge success both domestically and in Europe. He’s got fantastic pace and agility which is always a constant challenge for opposing defences to have to deal with. I’m looking forward to seeing him make his debut next season, Bath need someone of his calibre to get them competing for titles again. In recent seasons, Bath have been slow to compete at the breakdown but I’m looking forward to seeing Ben give them some good front ball and hope he can orchestrate the team to success.

Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs (2 year contract)

It was announced earlier in January of this year, that Glasgow Warrior and Scotland international player, Jonny Gray had signed a deal at Exeter Chiefs for the 2020/21 season. The 25 year old will be a great addition to the 2017 Premiership winners. The lock forward will arrive at Sandy Park with an already impressive rugby CV. Having been at Scotstoun since 2012, he has amassed over 100 appearances for the Scottish club, as well as collecting 55 Test caps along the way. For somebody of his stature, he’s got exceptional speed and he’s incredibly physical at the breakdown. He’s over the opposition like a rash and he doesn’t seem to run out of steam! Glasgow’s loss is Exeter’s gain. His tackle count in the games he plays in is phenomenal, he doesn’t miss many and Baxter must be overjoyed to have finally snapped him up after having his eyes on him for the past three or four years. He works very hard in all the areas of his game and poses a huge threat. The second row has proven to be one of the most  contended positions in the four Lions countries, meaning the Scotland international will need to up his game to secure his place on the plane to South Africa. However, there is no better place to do that than with one of the strongest teams in Europe so far this season. 

Ted Hill – Worcester Warriors (signed a contract extension for 2 years)

It was announced earlier this week that Back-Rower Ted Hill, has signed another contract extension for the Worcester Warriors. He was born and bred in Worcester and has been representing them at different age groups since the age of sixteen. He’s only 21 but has made a huge impact since making his debut for the Worcester Warriors first team against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road in November 2018. He was monumental in Worcester securing their first win against the Tigers and on debut, he scored two tries (one of which was the winner). The gifted back rower was then called up to the full England squad for the 2018 autumn internationals and made his England debut against Japan in November at the age of only 19. I’ll never forget the hit he made on Henry Tuilagi on his Premiership debut. The timing was a thing of pure beauty and put him straight on his backside! He’s got some pace and for a back-rower, his offload isn’t too shabby either! He reads the game so well for somebody who is still so young and I think he’s a good leader on the field. He’s got a big future at Worcester and I’m thrilled to see the club is using a lot of their homegrown talent for the Premiership. More clubs need to take note of their academy and development squads so players can progress into the first teams. 

That’s all for this week but I hope you enjoyed part two of my thoughts on some new signings for the 20/21 Premiership season. Take care and thank you for reading. Elizabeth x

Hello everyone. How are you all? This week I interviewed Wasps winger, Paolo Odogwu! We chatted about all things rugby but also spoke about the current Black Lives Matter campaign and race within rugby. I really hope you all enjoy this blog and a big thanks to Paolo for agreeing to be part of this interview and topical conversation at this moment in time.

For those that don’t know you, please can you tell them who you are, who you currently play for and your position in rugby?

“I am Paolo Odogwu, I’m 23 and I currently play for Wasps in the English Premiership. I play on the wing. I joined Wasps last  year from the Sale Sharks”.

With the current protests and campaigns going on for Black Lives Matter, how well do you think the rugby
community embraces this important issue?

“Until now, I believe it’s a topic that’s been ignored within rugby because it’s predominantly a white male class sport. People think it’s a gentleman’s game so there won’t be any racism in it but I feel like that particularly at Wasps (because they’re who I play for), they’ve probably dealt with it the best out of any other club in the league because they’ve actually been addressing everything that has been going on and asking us about our experiences. They’ve been trying to gain an understanding of it and not just post the hashtag on social media and that be the end of it. Myself and Simon McIntyre have spoken to the squad about the importance of racism and Wasps have fully supported us which has been fantastic”.

Growing up, did you always aspire to be a rugby player?

“No, I didn’t actually start playing rugby until I was eleven years old! I wanted to be a footballer or a professional wrestler (he laughs). I didn’t even really know what rugby was at that age but when I moved to my secondary school, they didn’t play football so I ended up playing rugby and quite liked it. I ended up being alright at it too which definitely helped!”.

Have you experienced any setbacks as a professional player or had to make any sacrifices in your career?

“Yeah, definitely. When I joined the Leicester Tigers academy, I had to leave home straight after I finished my GCSE’s at the age of sixteen to live in a house full of boys which as you can imagine, was carnage! I was also studying full time at school and playing rugby full time so it was really hard for me. It was difficult balancing the two. I would miss a lot of lessons and have to catch up which at seventeen years old, I couldn’t really be bothered to do but it worked out okay in the end and was worth it”.

Do you have a favourite memory as a player? Are there any that stand out for you so far in your playing career?

“Yeah, definitely. When I was at Sale Sharks, my fifth ever professional game was against Toulon. I scored in that game and it was my first home European debut, it was so special. It was so fun and I was only nineteen playing against Bryan Habana and Ma’a Nonu. It was crazy and pretty surreal!”.

Where do you see yourself in five years time? Do you have any thoughts on what you’d like to do after you’ve finished playing rugby?

“I’ll be 28 by then so hope I’ll still be playing if my body lets me and is fit and healthy! Outside of rugby, I’m very much into fashion and design. I make custom trainers and custom rugby boots at the moment but I’d like to get more into the fashion side of the business once I’ve finished playing rugby. I’ve always scribbled all over my clothes from a young age (he laughs). I’m not joking you, since I started playing football when I was younger, I would always draw a little logo on my boots or something just to make a point as to who I am. I’m really into American football as well and it’s big over there to have custom pleats and all that so I started to research how they do it and found all the paints. I  started creating my own and now I’ve got my own little Instagram page which I love adding to and sharing my designs of rugby boots and trainers I’ve designed myself”.

Did you listen to the Rugby Union Weekly podcast that aired last week called Rugby and race? What did you make of it and did you relate to any of the players experience’s?

“I did tune in and I shared so many experiences with them. Anthony and Ugo both said: ‘When you have teammates who say; oh you’re not really black because you’re well spoken or you’re the whitest black guy I’ve ever met’, I felt that and I think to myself what do you mean?! Why on earth should the colour of your skin and grammar matter but in terms of ‘rugby is an inclusive sport’, I think it’s inclusive in terms of the size and shape you can be to a degree and then the higher up you play, it’s completely different but in terms of race, it’s not because the game is based around white culture. That’s because of where it came from, it’s no one’s fault but it hasn’t evolved into anything different. That’s why when you see someone do something slightly different, you’re portrayed as cocky for celebrating a try for example. There seems to be an ingrained culture and you have to be seen as respectful and humble but there’s a difference between being humble and being happy and enjoying yourself. You’re portrayed as not worthy of playing the game if you do something ‘different'”.  In terms of it being inclusive in schools, I know from experience that my school didn’t play football so I didn’t have a choice. That was a school in Birmingham and you had to do an entrance exam to get in there but then I know a lot of people who go to state schools who love rugby and want to be able to play but can’t get into it and go down the player pathway route because it’s not accessible to them. I was lucky. My school wasn’t very good at rugby but I ended up getting into the Tigers academy through a county trial”.

I know that you also sometimes play rugby 7’s in the summer months. Do you enjoy it? How long have you played it for?

“I’ve been part of the rugby sevens set up for four years now. The Premiership Sevens competition is made up of the twelve teams that form the Gallagher Premiership. All of the teams nominate players from their team and I really enjoy it. I’ve been successful at it and I broke the record for most tries scored in the group stages in 2016 when I first began playing. In the previous campaign, I became the all time leading try scorer in the competition”.

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Paolo so I hope you enjoyed reading the blog. I thought it was so important to highlight a topic which is so prevalent right now. Stay safe, take care and thanks for reading. Elizabeth x

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