The dominant return of the England Students Women’s side can only be a good thing for Red Roses pathway
The reformed England Students Women's programme proved to an instant hit both on and off the pitch
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After a 20-year hiatus, the England Students Women’s programme made a triumphant return last Friday as they hammered the UK Armed Forces 74-22.
With a home World Cup on the horizon for the senior Red Roses, the England Students Women’s programme has returned at a pivotal moment for women’s rugby, and last week’s performance demonstrated exactly why it belongs in the pathway.
“This is a programme that needs to stay,” Head Coach Andrew Ford told TRU. “These girls have put their hearts and souls into this week, and they're leaving a legacy behind. They've pioneered for the next generation in this space.
“It’s such an important space for these individuals because it gives them exposure to what a camp and a high-performance environment can be like, outside of the typical age-grade structure.
“It's that dual-career balance. We know we’re not going to have 30–40-year rugby careers, so what do you want to do after that? So many of these girls are studying hard for careers beyond rugby, but then to come away and enjoy a week like this is amazing.
“It's a fitting end to a lot of these girls' university rugby careers, and hopefully an opportunity for many more to come. I’m hoping everyone who’s seen the week from the outside has noticed how much fun the girls have had and how quickly they’ve bonded.
“I've loved the week. Everyone has loved the week. I hope it’s here to stay.”
Verghese signs with Saracens
A key cog in the England engine room on Friday was second-row Jodie Verghese, who, whilst in camp, was announced as a new Saracens Women’s player for next season.
The versatile and athletic lock has impressed for Loughborough University in Women's BUCS Super Rugby and also gained PWR Cup experience with Loughborough Lightning.
“I’m so excited to start with Saracens,” she told TRU post-match.
“They’re such a prestigious team and have given me this opportunity, and I’m just so pumped for next season. They’ve got such an amazing coaching team, and the girls have been so welcoming.”
Verghese had another standout performance in a match that produced almost 100 points, but for her, the game was simply the icing on the cake after a brilliant week in camp.
“Honestly, since day one, the second we walked in, Fordy was bringing the approach of being adoptive, adaptive, and authentic,” she added.
“From the moment we arrived, all the girls bought into that. I feel like I’ve known them for years and learned so much.
“The game was unreal. It just shows how much we’ve gelled as a squad. You need that connection to produce a performance like that. We’ve all come away better players, and a great result like that helps, so I couldn’t be happier.”
Brennan leads from the front
That togetherness was echoed by Exeter centre Naomi Brennan, who captained the side last Friday.
Brennan, another player set to feature in Premiership Women's Rugby next season after signing with Exeter Chiefs, has been excellent at university level, earning BUCS Fans’ Player of the Season honours and captaining Exeter University for the past two campaigns.
She ended her university career by co-captaining the first England Students Women’s team in two decades.
“It’s one of those where you can’t really think about it,” Brennan said.
“You get into the week and I just tried to be myself, to bring the girls together off-pitch and make sure those connections are on-pitch. Of course, it’s always an honour to wear the rose and hopefully not the last time for a lot of us.
“Every decision we made in the game, even if it didn’t come off first phase, we backed each other, secured the breakdown, and most importantly, fronted up physically which we knew would be a big challenge. We just got behind each other. To pull off a result like that is the cherry on top.
“The experience is hard to put into words. You go into camp as rivals and, in just four days, adopt each other as teammates. The connection we’ve built is amazing. People said, 'Imagine if we trained together all the time, what a force we’d be!' I truly believe that.”
