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South Wales Argus
12 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Lilli Ives Campion relishing opportunity of home Rugby World Cup
The Red Roses second row made her first Test start for England during the Guinness Six Nations and is part of the 42-player squad that is currently preparing for the 2025 World Cup. She is the youngest forward in the squad, with the likes of Abbie Ward, skipper Zoe Aldcroft and Rosie Galligan among those who are battling for places in her position. With that level of competition for places, the intensity in training is ferocious and Ives Campion is desperate to ensure she does everything in her power to make the final squad that will look to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with the final set to be held at Allianz Stadium on September 27. She said: 'It's been pretty intense, probably one of the most intense things I've done so far. But there is a real sense of togetherness so when it does get tough, it's really nice as a group that we can come together and battle through. We've been really tested a few times now, so it's been good. 'That decision (over selection) will happen but it's what can I do between now and then to put myself in the best possible position to be picked for that squad? You have to be where you are and embrace that and then that is the bigger picture. Whatever will be, will be. I need to go out there and do my best, whatever that looks like, whether it is gym or training. 'I remember watching the World Cup in Ireland in 2017 on TV at home. It was the first time I think I'd ever watched women's rugby on TV. I was playing but just for my local club, I didn't really know anything about rugby at that point. The thought of a home World Cup is so incredible and such a rare opportunity. The impact it is going to have on the game and girls going forward is incredible so I'd love to be involved in that.' Ives Campion, who plays her club rugby for Loughborough Lightning, has enjoyed a rapid rise, going from playing for England Under-20s last summer to being part of the England squad that triumphed in WXV at the end of last year. That came after she had made her Red Roses debut in a warm-up match against France, with Ives Campion then making a first start against Italy earlier this year as England won a seventh successive Six Nations title. It proved to be her only appearance in the tournament, with Ives Campion then taking on a different role of helping her teammates prepare for the remaining four matches, but she is trying to take as much as possible from every training session with her more experienced colleagues. She added: 'That (Italy game) was incredible. Coming into that week, I was super excited and I think it's actually quite nice to start a game. You have nerves with the anthem but the minute the ball is kicked, you lock into the game rather than on the bench, you can sit and watch the nerves just build up and build up. 'My role post-Italy was very much prepping the team, how can I best perform that role for the team? I really embraced that over the few weeks. I feel like I learn a lot. When you see the competition in my position, I'm still only 21 and I have so much to learn. So to have eight weeks like that, it's really important to learn.' Those lessons were learned and it is now a case of trying to put them into practice to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
South Wales Guardian
16 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Lilli Ives Campion relishing opportunity of home Rugby World Cup
The Red Roses second row made her first Test start for England during the Guinness Six Nations and is part of the 42-player squad that is currently preparing for the 2025 World Cup. She is the youngest forward in the squad, with the likes of Abbie Ward, skipper Zoe Aldcroft and Rosie Galligan among those who are battling for places in her position. With that level of competition for places, the intensity in training is ferocious and Ives Campion is desperate to ensure she does everything in her power to make the final squad that will look to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with the final set to be held at Allianz Stadium on September 27. She said: 'It's been pretty intense, probably one of the most intense things I've done so far. But there is a real sense of togetherness so when it does get tough, it's really nice as a group that we can come together and battle through. We've been really tested a few times now, so it's been good. 'That decision (over selection) will happen but it's what can I do between now and then to put myself in the best possible position to be picked for that squad? You have to be where you are and embrace that and then that is the bigger picture. Whatever will be, will be. I need to go out there and do my best, whatever that looks like, whether it is gym or training. 'I remember watching the World Cup in Ireland in 2017 on TV at home. It was the first time I think I'd ever watched women's rugby on TV. I was playing but just for my local club, I didn't really know anything about rugby at that point. The thought of a home World Cup is so incredible and such a rare opportunity. The impact it is going to have on the game and girls going forward is incredible so I'd love to be involved in that.' Ives Campion, who plays her club rugby for Loughborough Lightning, has enjoyed a rapid rise, going from playing for England Under-20s last summer to being part of the England squad that triumphed in WXV at the end of last year. That came after she had made her Red Roses debut in a warm-up match against France, with Ives Campion then making a first start against Italy earlier this year as England won a seventh successive Six Nations title. It proved to be her only appearance in the tournament, with Ives Campion then taking on a different role of helping her teammates prepare for the remaining four matches, but she is trying to take as much as possible from every training session with her more experienced colleagues. She added: 'That (Italy game) was incredible. Coming into that week, I was super excited and I think it's actually quite nice to start a game. You have nerves with the anthem but the minute the ball is kicked, you lock into the game rather than on the bench, you can sit and watch the nerves just build up and build up. 'My role post-Italy was very much prepping the team, how can I best perform that role for the team? I really embraced that over the few weeks. I feel like I learn a lot. When you see the competition in my position, I'm still only 21 and I have so much to learn. So to have eight weeks like that, it's really important to learn.' Those lessons were learned and it is now a case of trying to put them into practice to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
England v Scotland: Score and latest Women's Six Nations updates
19 April 2025 4:19pm 4:19PM Previous encounters 2024: Scotland 0-46 England 2023: England 58-7 Scotland 2022: Scotland 5-57 England 2021: England 52-10 Scotland 2020: Scotland 0-53 England 2019: England 80-0 Scotland 2018: Scotland 8-43 England 4:14PM Injuries for the visitors It's not that this match is a foregone conclusion but... England are on a 23-match winning streak against Scotland, who are missing a number of key personnel for today's match. Rachel Malcolm, their experienced captain, and Leia Brebner-Holden, their first-choice scrum-half, are both out with concussion. Alex Stewart and Hollie Cunningham are also unavailable due to unspecified injuries, meaning Scotland's bench is looking abnormally light on experience. Bryan Easson, the Scotland head coach, has opted for 5-3 split today - having fielded 6-2 splits in each of the last three rounds - but his unhelpfully long injury list has forced him to have a major rethink. Hartpury back-row Gemma Bell, who only joined Scotland's camp a few days ago, is one of three uncapped players on the bench. To put Scotland's lack of experience into context, Sarah Bern, Abbie Ward and Marlie Packer each have more caps individually than Scotland's entire bench combined. 4:09PM Scotland's results and fixtures Scotland 24-21 Wales France 38-15 Scotland Scotland 17-25 Italy England vs Scotland (today) Scotland vs Ireland (next weekend) 4:04PM Visitors in the house In the building 🏟️ #AsOne — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) April 19, 2025 4:01PM England's results and fixtures in this Six Nations England 38-5 Italy Wales 12-67 England Ireland 5-49 England England vs Scotland (today) England vs France (next weekend) 3:55PM Current table France- 19 points (4 games) England- 15 points (3 games) Ireland- 5 points (3 games) Italy- 5 points (4 games) Scotland- 4 points (3 games) Wales- 1 point (3 games) 3:49PM Hosts arrive What a welcome in Leicester 😍 #ENGvSCO #GuinnessW6N — Red Roses (@RedRosesRugby) April 19, 2025 3:42PM Teams England starting XV: Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins); Abby Dow (Ealing Trailfinders), Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers), Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Lucy Packer (Harlequins); Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears), Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, captain), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs). Replacements: May Campbell (Saracens), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning). Scotland starting XV: Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders); Rhona Lloyd (Stade Bordelais), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Lisa Thomson (Ealing Trailfinders), Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers); Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning, captain), Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders); Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Becky Boyd (Loughborough Lightning), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Jade Konkel (Harlequins). Replacements: Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh), Adelle Ferrie (Edinburgh), Gemma Bell (Gloucester-Hartpury), Rhea Clarke (Edinburgh Rugby), Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks), Lucia Scott (Gloucester-Hartpury). 3:36PM Match preview England host Scotland at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in round four of the Women's Six Nations. England are aiming for a seventh successive title and have won three from three so far with bonus points secured in all three games. They began their campaign with a 38-5 home win over Italy before thrashing Wales 12-67 in Cardiff on matchday two. In game three they won 5-49 over in Ireland to put them at the top of the standings, one point ahead of France. Their winning run now spans 23 games and they have won 53 of their last 54 Test matches, with their last defeat coming in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand. With a home World Cup on the horizon later this year, every game takes on added importance not only in attempting to win yet another Six Nations title but also acting as preparation for the biggest prize. Abbie Ward, who starts for England this afternoon, has spoken this week about the pressure on England every time they go out to play. 'We know teams will always step up against us to knock us off. We are happy with that and take it in our stride,' Ward told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly. 'England will always have pressure. It is not going anywhere. Success is not about results or points difference, it is about the performance. It is also about team cohesion. We have had some good results but also some sticky performances. We want to keep growing that team cohesion and the ability to grow our game plan.' Former England captain Marlie Packer, who was replaced as captain by Zoe Aldcroft at the start of the year, comes back into the team today and Ward has been singing the praises of the Saracens forward. 'Marlie is a fantastic leader and always will be, whether she is wearing the armband or not,' said Ward. 'She was always an incredible leader before, she has stepped up so naturally, nothing has changed. Whether she is playing or not, Marlie is always inputting. She is always helping the squad get better. Even if she is not on the pitch, she brings her experience, that energy and that ferocity, but she also has this other side where she brings a calmness to the squad. She has been in tough games, she has been on the sides of huge wins and also losses. That is just invaluable to us. When she brings that ferocity, that energy, the aggression that we need, we feed off [that] as a team.' Meanwhile Scotland are in fifth, with just one win to their name after three games. They won their opening game against Wales but have fallen to back-to-back defeats against France and Italy in their next two games. Their head coach Bryan Easson is aware of just how big a challenge is facing his side today. 'England have the ability to go through you physically, they also have the ability to go round you,' said Easson. 'They can suffocate you defensively. They have such a good team, one to 15, or should I say one to 40. No matter what changes they make, they have world class players coming in. It is a huge task but one we are certainly up for. We were really disappointed with our performance against Italy so this is an opportunity to put that to bed and for this group to show the progress we have made.' England have won all 23 Six Nations meetings with Scotland, the past five encounters settled by an aggregate score of 266-22. Last year England won 48-0 in Edinburgh. It appears things are destined for a Grand Slam-decider against France at Allianz Stadium next weekend but England need to make sure they get the job done today to set that up.
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
England's Ward and Bern to stay with Bristol Bears
England lock Abbie Ward and prop Sarah Bern have signed new contracts to stay with Premiership Women's Rugby side Bristol Ward has agreed a new two-year deal with the club she joined from Harlequins in 31-year-old has 69 caps for England and, along with team-mate Bern, is in the Red Roses' side for the Six Nations, which starts this played in 11 games this season as the Bears reached the league forward returned to rugby in April 2024 after having her daughter, becoming the first contracted England woman to have a baby since the Red Roses went professional in said she was looking forward to the team "pushing ourselves further". "We have created something special at Bristol Bears, and I'm proud to be part of it," she 27, has been with the Bears since 2018 and head coach Dave Ward said she was playing the "best rugby of her career"."Her line breaks and running ability has been there for all to see but to be part of a scrum that achieved a league-record 41 penalties is testament to her set-piece and her endeavour to become the complete player," he tighthead prop has 66 international caps and started 13 league games this season. Bristol have not disclosed the length of Bern's new deal. "I believe it's the best place for me right now and I believe the Bears are growing into something special," Bern said.
