England call-ups for rugby-playing local students

​Alice Bennett, from King’s School, and Poppy Murray, from Arthur Mellows Village College, will both be training with the nation’s elite for the next six months in the hope of pulling on the famous white jersey when the tournament starts in the first half of 2023.

Amazingly, Bennett only began playing rugby two years ago, but caught the eye of Premiership Loughborough Lightning and, from there, the England selectors.

By way of contrast, Murray started playing at Borough aged six along with Lucy Dangerfield, who is another massive success story for the girls’ section at the city club, having just been signed up by Premiership Saracens.

Murray played at Old Northamptonians last season.

Borough’s U18, U16 and U14 girls’ teams all reached their respective finals in the Eastern Counties Championship last season.

“This is a massive boost for us,” said girls’ academy head coach Lee Clarke. “A lot of people have worked really hard in the seven years since we resurrected junior girls’ teams at the club, and just look how it’s paying off!”

“We have around 70 girls playing regularly and enjoying it, but there’s always room for more to join us.

“It’s not all about winning and getting players selected for their country. It’s also about having fun playing a sport with core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.

“It’s great to say that we’ve produced 35 players who’ve been picked to represent East Midlands over the last seven years, and now we have two in the England training squad, but it’s even greater to see the smiles on the faces of all the girls who turn up, week in, week out.”

Three of last season’s U18 team have stepped up to the senior ladies side which won their league last season with 12 wins from 12 outings, and one of them, Abi Sole-Potter has scored seven tries in two sevens tournaments over the last month.

Any potential new recruits, aged 10 to 17, can contact [email protected]. Training takes place at the club’s Fengate base on Tuesday evenings.