Becky Essex

Rebecca Essex has made an unusual career move to the pack and appears as a lock or blind side flanker nowadays. Four members of her family have played the game, including sister Kathryn, her rugby guru.

Rebecca’s first representative honours were for England Students in 2004-05 after she took up the game when 20 and appearances for England Academy and A team followed from 2005-07 before she gained the first of her 22 full Test caps.

This year has been a vintage one for Rebecca with awards as England Players’ Player and Richmond’s Player of the Season. Her best memories, though, are the 10-3 win over New Zealand in front of a record 12,500 crowd at Twickenham in November 2009 and the 2010 World Cup final.

Grantham-born Rebecca was schooled in Horsham at Chesworth Junior and Millais School before she took A levels at Colliers College and a BSc in Psychology at Loughborough University. She now works as a primary school teacher in a special needs’ school at Linden Bridge, Worcester Park in Surrey.

Playing for England in Madrid and Canada are on her CV but Twickenham remains her top ground. Rebecca’s other sporting penchant is for athletics and hockey at which she figures at county level and before joining Richmond she was with Worcester from 2004-06. That’s where her favourite women’s player Karen Jones, a 32 times capped Number 8, plays the game. Tom Croft, the England flanker, is her other most admired rugby technician. She has been a vegan for the past nine years.

Statistics
Squad: Richmond
Position: Lock/Flanker
Age :28
Height :1.76m (5'9")
Weight :76kg (11st 13lb)
Caps :22

Emily Scarratt

Versatility is the name of Emily Scarratt’s game. She began playing with scrum half ambitions at Leicester Forest, formerly Old Bosworthians, at the age of five before moving to fly half and then playing as a centre and full back.

With 17 tries, including one against the USA in the 2010 WRWC, in 22 Test appearances, her switch has paid off, dating back to a debut against the United States in the Nations Cup two years ago. The 2010 WRWC final is her most memorable match.

Now in the third and final year studying Sport & Exercise Science at Leeds Metropolitan University, Leicester-born Emily was previously educated at Desford Primary, Bosworth High and Bosworth College and gained nine GCSEs and A levels in Biology, PE and Geography.

Since leaving Leicester Forest after a 12-year spell, she joined Lichfield in 2007 and represented England U19 and U20 before enjoying the euphoria of senior caps. She was the Leicester Mercury Young Sports Woman in 2007-08, has toured Canada twice with England U20 and Seniors and represented England U18 at rounders.

All of that would not have been possible without the backing of dad Mark, whom Emily says is her chief supporter and taxi! Her favourite players are both Irish internationals Geordan Murphy, who plays down the road at her top ground Welford Road and Brian O’Driscoll, a prince among centres.

In her spare time, Emily, who is known as 'Scaz' to her team-mates, enjoys playing tennis, basketball and squash and her match highlight was England’s epoch-making victory over the redoubtable All Blacks at Twickenham in November 2009.

Statistics
Squad: Lichfield
Position: Centre/Full back
Age: 20
Height: 1.8m (5'11")
Weight: 79kg (12st 6lb)
Caps 22

Lucy Millard

Lucy Millard is a rugby player,she is notched four tries in Scotland’s 32-0 win against Sweden at Meggetland, Edinburgh, in January 2009. She added no fewer than nine as Scotland won the FIRA/AER European Trophy in Sweden four months later, scoring two against Russia, four versus Belgium, and three against the Netherlands. She was first to score for Scotland in RWC 2010 when she crossed the whitewash against Canada and scored a brace against Sweden in the third pool game.

In addition to her 56 Scotland caps, she was Scotland Women player of the year in 2004 and was in the Ecosse team who won the Dubai sevens the following year. She won her 50th cap for Scotland against Ireland in the 2010 Six Nations fixture at Ashbourne.

The Wick High School former pupil is an Edinburgh University law graduate and trainee solicitor.

statistics
Club : Team Northumbria
Position : Full back / centre
Weight : 9st 7lb (61kg)
Height : 5ft 3in (1.61m)
D.O.B.: 23 October 1983
International record
Scotland Women: 56 caps

Gemma Sharples

Gemma Sharples is a rugby player.Gemma has become a regular in England’s squad, making eight international appearances last season. She was also involved in the England 7s squad and scored the winning try over New Zealand in the Emirates Airline London 7s. Gemma is currently at Hartpury College studying for a Masters in Coaching.

Statistics
Squad: Worcester
Position: Flanker
Age: 27
Height: 1.7m (5'7")
Weight: 70kg (11st 0lb)
Caps: 12

Christelle Le Duff

Christelle Le Duff is a French rugby player , born November 21, 1982 in Velizy-Villacoublay (78).with 1 m 70 and 70 kg, she plays as a center, flyhalf or even back to USAT club Toulouges XV.

She started the rugby club Conflans Ste Honorine, Yvelines. She played with boys until the age of 15. They then joined the women's team Conflans Sainte Honorine, and Soisy in Montmorency in the 3rd and 2nd division championship in France after a merger of the club. On his 18th birthday party she is playing club Gennevilliers (92) in the first division championship in France for 4 years and began playing at the highest level since it was selected for France at the age of 18 years. She then moved to a club in southern France, Toulouges (66) which operates in the first division championship in France.

Club
* Conflans Ste Honorine (78)
* Soisy sous Montmorency (95)
* Gennevilliers (92)
* USAT Toulouges XV (66)
* USAP (66)
At club
* Champion of France in 2004 Ilse cons Caen
* Champion of France in 2005 at the Stade de France against Caen
* Champion of France in 2006 at La Roche sur Yon cons Rennes
* Champion of France in 2008 in Narbonne against Montpellier
* European Champion in 2009
National team
* 58 caps for France and five in France since 2001 A
* Selections by year: 8 in 2001, 8 in 2002, 5 in 2003, 7 in 2004, 3 in 2005, 12 in 2006, 5 in 2007, 5 in 2009, 5 in 2010
* Six Nations tournaments played: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
* Grand Slam: 2002, 2003 and 2005
* European Champion in 2004 in Toulouse
World Cup:
* 2002: 3 selections (Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Canada)
* 2006: 5 selections (Ireland, Australia, England, New Zealand, Canada)

statics
full name:Christelle Le Duff
Date of birth :November 21, 1982
Birthplace: Velizy-Villacoublay (France)
Height: 1.70 m
Weight: 70 kg
nickname:Chryss
Position :Fly Half

Michaela Staniford

Michaela Staniford, of Wasps, the tantalising opportunity to play in her second Women’s World Cup in 2010. Not only that because she reached the 40-cap landmark by starting the second pool match against Kazakhstan and playing off the bench in the semi final triumph over Australia.

Michaela, who was born in High Wycombe, has run in 16 international tries, appeared in the 2006 WRWC and the 2009 WRWC Sevens and represented England at five levels including U19, Select and A team.

She was co-captain of England Sevens with Sonia Green last season, having first played when 13 at Rickmansworth School. Michaela said: “We competed at Sevens and I then joined Fullerians, the local team in Watford.

“Lee Parkin, my teacher, introduced me to rugby and put so much time and effort into the team. Jo Hull was our coach and mentor when I moved north to play and study at East Durham and Houghall Community College.”

Michaela appeared for Thirsk Sharks (2003-06) and Henley (2006) before joining Wasps and winning a wide range of personal and collective honours, headed by the Six Nations title in all the past five years. Sue Day, the former England captain, is the player she most admired. “A living legend,” said Michaela.

She has been a member of victorious Sevens teams in Dubai, San Diego, Amsterdam, Newquay, Richmond, Edinburgh and Moscow among others. Much closer to home, Michaela is a student at the University of Hertfordshire, completing a Masters in Education part time while working as a PE teacher at Rickmansworth, her old school. She previously attained a Sport Science degree at St Mary’s.

Away from rugby, studies and her career, Michaela enjoys swimming and “discovered a new found appreciation for Pilates.” Her most memorable tournament was the triumph in the Amsterdam Sevens two years ago (“the biggest learning curve in my life”) and the 2006 Six Nations Grand Slam game against Ireland.

Another season and bigger challenges now beckon.

Statistics
Squad: Wasps
Position: Wing/Centre
Age: 23
Height: 1.75m (5'9")
Weight: 69kg (10st 12lb)
Caps: 40

Rachel Burford

A six-year-old early starter at Medway RFC, Rachael Burford comes from a rugby loving family. Her mother, father, sister and brother all played the game with dad Michael being her mentor along the way to honours that include England U19, Academy, Sevens and Seniors, for whom she has won 29 caps and scored five tries, including a long range one in the 2010 WRWC match against Kazakhstan.

Her accolades include captaining England Sevens and being vice captain at national 15-a-side level in 2007-08. Dubai is home from home for Rachael, who has played there five times for club and country. It qualifies as her favourite ground and also the place where she relished her most memorable tournament in the 2009 World Cup.

Medway-born, she has also been to South Africa, Canada, France, Amsterdam, Rome and Kinsale, illustrating the global qualities of the women’s game. Born in Chatham, Rachael began her education at Lordswood Junior School and Thomas Aveling School, both in Kent.

Her qualifications feature a National Diploma in Sports Massage and she is a Level One coach and Level Two fitness instructor. Rachael’s working roles have been as a part time personal trainer in the City of London and part time nanny in Twickenham but after the World Cup she took up an appointment as an RFU Community Rugby Coach for Kent. Rachael was also appointed as Medway Ladies coach this season.

Four clubs have benefited from her skills, starting with Medway from 1992-2003, followed by Henley until 2005, with Saracens next up from 2006-09. She joined Richmond this year.

Statistics
Squad: Richmond
Position: Centre
Age: 24
Height :1.65m (5'5")
Weight: 70kg (11st 0lb)
Caps :29

Cheryl Soon

Cheryl Soon is one of the most respected and finest female Rugby players in the world. The New Zealand born scrumhalf plays club Rugby for the Warringah Rats in Sydney and is one of only a handful of Wallaroos who played in the 2002 World Cup. During March this year she captained the Australian Women’s Sevens team to victory at the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai. In June, Cheryl travelled to Switzerland as a member of an IRB panel to pitch Sevens Rugby as an addition to the 2016 Olympic program. Cheryl made a presentation to the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee as the IRB ambassador for Women’s Rugby.

Player Profile
Name : Cheryl Soon
Club : Warringah Rats, Sydney
Position : Halfback
Nickname : Chez
Height : 156cm
Weight : 59kg
Date and place of birth :23/9/1975, New Zealand
Home town/suburb : Rotorua, NZ (currently resides in Sydney, NSW)
Representative honours :Wallaroos (2000 - present)
Best sportsperson player of all time : Roger Federer and George Gregan

Catherine Spencer

Catherine Spencer is rugby player.
Nothing was more important to England captain Catherine Spencer than the 2010 WRWC in which her side eventually lost 13-10 in the final to holders New Zealand after a valiant performance in front of a record crowd of 13,000. Eight days later in mid September, Catherine was appointed as a Women’s Rugby Development Manager for the RFUW in the South West.

She has led England to three consecutive Six Nations and Nations Cup Championships and to concentrate on the World Cup tournament, had resigned from her job as an office manager at a sports centre near Bristol, a position she had held since March 2006.

Catherine’s new career is developing, with a brief to increase participation across all spectrums of rugby in clubs throughout the South West, from players to coaches to referees and volunteers.

Born in Ashford, Kent, she attained a joint Honours Degree in Philosophy and Sociology at Cardiff University and rugby runs through her family. Both of her brothers play the game with the older one, Martin, a back row forward appearing for Hope Valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire.

Her twin brother Gregory, a centre, plays for Colchester and dad Nigel figured at Number 8 for Worthing and Folkestone. Catherine has led England since 2007 and her fiftieth cap was in – guess what – the triumphant match against New Zealand at Twickenham, her favourite ground, in November 2009 when the side beat them for the first time in eight years. She scored her eighteenth Test try in the 2010 WRWC semi final victory over Australia at Twickenham Stoop. Beating France in 2006 was among her most memorable matches while Maggie Alphonsi and Gill Burns, who played in four World Cups, are her top players.

Catherine’s first tentative rugby steps were with Folkestone at the age of five and there she remained until 2006 before moving to Worcester, Bath and currently Bristol, where she lives. She continued: “The turning point for me was after not being great at the game when I was playing or Folkestone minis. I caught the ball and just ran. At that point, I realised I might be OK at rugby after all.”

She is and far more than that. Personal honours have come in thickets. In 2006 she was England’s Player of the Year; 2009 brought the Rugby Union Writers’ award and this year she won the RFUW Linda Uttley award among many others.

Statistics
Squad: Bristol
Position: No. 8
Age: 31
Height: 1.79m (5'10")
Weight: 90kg (14st 2lb)
Caps: 58

Ulrika Andersson-Hall

Ulrika Andersson-Hall of Sweden is captain of Sweden's women's International Rugby team.

Ulrika Andersson-Hall was in the early days of her international career when Sweden last graced the Women’s Rugby World Cup stage in Amsterdam. Twelve years on, she now captains her country and is relishing the challenges ahead.

Debby Hodgkinson

Debby Hodgkinson of Australia and winner of the Women's Player of the Year and winner of the Shawn Mackay Award and Steve Gann Volunteer of the Year.

star Debby Hodgkinson – the Player of the Tournament when Australia won the inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai earlier this year – has received a further accolade today from the International Rugby Board.

The 178cm, 82kg forward also has visions of completing a Women's Rugby World Cup double when the traditional 15-a-side tournament for women is staged in England next year.

stats
Position: No.8
Club: Cottesloe
Nickname: Debs, Debsta, Zon
Height: 178cm
Weight: 82kg
Date of birth: 22/11/1980
Birthplace: Middlesbrough, England
Representative Honours: Wallaroos (2002-present), Australian Women's Sevens

Valuese Sao Taliu

Valuese Sao Taliu player is a Samoan rugby union, born July 7, 1986, 67 kg, serving three quarters center.

* she is international and evolves with the team of Samoa at the highest level.
* she participates in the World Cup Rugby 2006 Women, she scored four tries, four transformations during the first four games of World Cup 2006 Women's Rugby.

Catherine Devillers

Catherine Devillers (called The Caldoches) is a player of French rugby, born April 18, 1970 in New Caledonia, 1 m 77 64 kg, winger club USAT Toulouges XV.

She works as a physical education teacher at Ceret.

It began with five years of athletics (she is well endowed with a very good turn of speed), then made a time of martial arts, before experiencing rugby at university.

It keeps no effects of a broken left ankle in 2001.

She ended her playing career at the end of the 2005-2006 season.

* Women's Six Nations Grand Slam in 2002, 2004 and 2005
* FIRA European Champion (Grand Slam) in 2004
* Champion of France in 2004 and 2005
* 3rd in the World Cup in 2006

Sarah Hunter

Sarah Hunter is a player in English rugby, born September 19, 1985,has 1 m 77 and 86 kg, occupying the position of flanker in Lichfield. She had the caps, youth under 19 years old and in A before crossing the final level. She made her international debut with Team England Rugby Women against Scotland at the Six Nations tournament female 2007.

Being told that she would not make the top grade as a centre was the inspiration behind Sarah Hunter making a positional switch to the back row and winning 22 England caps so far. Her Test honours followed appearances for England Under 19s, Academy and A team, as well as captaining Northumberland Under 16s, North East Under 18s and England A. She currently leads her club, Lichfield Ladies.

Sarah began playing rugby league when nine at primary school and started in union five years later. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, she attended Goathland Primary and Longbenton Community College in North Tyneside before gaining a degree in Sport Science and Mathematics at Loughborough University. She was as a Community Rugby Coach for the RFU in Birmingham before being appointed as an RFU Regional Student Liaison Officer in September 2010. Sarah is now helping to develop the game in universities and further education colleges in the Midlands and West region.

Her many mentors include Graham Cooper, the head coach at Novocastrians where she played for three seasons, Jo Wells, a regional coach who introduced her to rugby union and her first coach Mick Hogan. She said: "England forwards’ coach Graham Smith and my club coach at Lichfield, Damo Mooney both had a strong influence but it was Phil Forsyth, the ex-England Under 19 coach who converted me from playing at centre to the back row."

Sarah’s achievements feature winning the British Universities Championship with Loughborough. Her England triumphs include the Six Nations three times, together with the European Championship and Nations Cup twice each. Personal accolades are players’ player awards at Novocastrians, Lichfield, Loughborough University and the England Academy.

Statistics
Squad: Lichfield
Position: Flanker
Age: 25
Height: 1.77m (5'10")
Weight: 80kg (12st 8lb)
Caps: 22

Amanda Donaldson

Rising Star award winner Amanda Donaldson who at the age of 17 is the youngest ever female rugby league player to play for the England Ladies Team.

Amiria Marsh

Amiria Marsh, born May 17, 1983, is a player in New Zealand rugby union, 1 m 75 92 kg, which can occupy all positions in the backcourt for Team province of Canterbury and the national squad for the Team New Zealand.
In 2004, it lacks the international season. She returned in 2005, it is solid as three quarts center, it is strong on defense.

She made her international debut in 2000. She disputed the World Cup of Rugby 2006 Women which began August 31, 2006.She scored 4 tries in 2 games of the World Cup.

statics
Position:Utility Back
Born:17/05/1983
Physical:1.74m; 88kg
Test Debut:2000
Test Caps:20
Test Points:50
Provincial Team:Canterbury
Provincial Debut:Canterbury Amiria Rule
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS:Black Ferns (2000-2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 - present )
Canterbury (1999 - present )

Heather Moyse

Heather Moyse (born July 23, 1978) is a Canadian athlete, representing Canada in international competition as a bobsledder and rugby union player, and competing at the Canadian intercollegiate level in rugby, soccer and track and field. She was inducted into the University of Waterloo Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Moyse received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award as P.E.I.’s outstanding athlete for 2006, was named Prince Edward Island's Senior Female Athlete of the Year for both 2005 and 2006 and has won seven Sport P.E.I. awards in total since 1998 . In 2010, Moyse and bobsled pilot Kaillie Humphries were nominated as Sportswoman of the Year by the American Women's Sports Foundation in the Team category.

Career highlights
Olympics
2006 - Cesana, 4th with Helen Upperton
2010 - Vancouver, Gold medal icon.svg 1st with Kaillie Humphries
World Championships
2008 - Altenberg, 11th with Lisa Szabon
2009 - Lake Placid, 5th with Kaillie Humphries
World Cup
2005 - Calgary, Bronze medal icon.svg 3rd with Helen Upperton
2005 - Igls, Silver medal icon.svg 2nd with Helen Upperton
2006 - Königssee, Silver medal icon.svg 2nd with Helen Upperton
2006 - St. Moritz, Gold medal icon.svg 1st with Helen Upperton
2008 - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Silver medal icon.svg 2nd with Helen Upperton
2008 - St. Moritz, Bronze medal icon.svg 3rd with Helen Upperton
2008 - Igls, Gold medal icon.svg 1st with Helen Upperton
2009 - Whistler, Silver medal icon.svg 2nd with Kaillie Humphries
2009 - Lake Placid, Bronze medal icon.svg 3rd with Kaillie Humphries
2009 - Altenberg, Gold medal icon.svg 1st with Kaillie Humphries
2010 - Königssee, Silver medal icon.svg 2nd with Kaillie Humphries
2010 - Igls, Bronze medal icon.svg 3rd with Kaillie Humphries

statics
Height :178 cm (5' 10")
Weight :72 kg (159 lbs)
Date of Birth :July 23, 1978
Age :32
Nationality :Canada
Birthplace :Canada
Coach :Quin Sekulich, Tuffy Latour
Occupation: Athlete
Education: Occupational Therapy - University of Toronto: Toronto, ON, Canada