The sisters make history on Easter Saturday by being the first to row in different boats in the Oxford versus Cambridge race on the Thames. It will be the first time ever such a sisterly head-to-head occurs in the 78 years in which women have been allowed to take part in the Boat Race.

Added spice is thrown into the contest because the two sisters actually used to row in the same crew.
Both rowed in last year’s Oxford reserve crew race together. Younger sister Helen, 22, graduated in music at Oxford, but is now training to be a teacher at Emmanuel College Cambs. Meanwhile, older sister Maria, 24, is now in her last year at Exeter College Ox studying medicine.

However, academic and career reasons have now forced the two sisters to split up on the water.

Helen says; ‘Last year together we built up such a good relationship with the rest of our crew. But, sadly, Oxford don’t offer the course which I wanted for my career. I wanted PGCE for primary schools and Oxford only offer it for secondary school training..so I had to change university and I knew I wanted to carry on rowing, so Cambridge was the obvious choice.’

Maria says; ‘Helen was a bit shifty when I found out she was thinking of changing university. But it didn’t bother me that much and we are planning to meet up for lunch together in the week of the race next week.

‘The situation of racing against my sister definitely adds a bit more fun because you know someone so well in the other competitor’s crew. I do tell myself, there are eight others in the rival crew (inc the cox) that I don’t know.’

The Nielson-Scott sisters grew up in the Wirral where they went to St John Plessington school together. They never rowed growing up. However, their mother Jane Nielson did row at UCL and then London University, where she graduated in 1990. Their father Tim Scott also went to UCL and played cricket and football.

Helen says; ‘rowing was vaguely on the radar because of mum.’

‘The sport we did together as sisters was swimming and we used to train together three times a week.’

Asked: how will your family cope with the big race next weekend?

Helen says; ‘My parents will go and support at the finish line in Mortlake…and make sure they are wearing neutral colours!’

Maria and Helen are both athletically built and tall, at 175cm high. They row in the ‘engine room’ in the middle of their crews in the number three and four seats of the eights….so they will literally be just feet apart staring out the rival crew on the start line at Putney, at least.

And what happens when normal life resumes?

Maria says; ‘I am making job applications and going to work in a palliative care hospital in the summer. It will be tricky to carry on a rowing career because the commitment needed is so great, we have been training 12 times a week.’

Helen says; ‘I am unsure about professional life, I am not committed to being a teacher. It is hard to imagine life without rowing.’

Mitchell is about to lead his first 6 nations campaign with our Red Roses and was an All Black player.

About the maiden Lions in New Zealand he told me,”I’m definitely interested, especially as the
first tour is to my country NZ. There will be 3 tests and i’m eager to find out which provincial matches will be played.

Mitchell, who has also worked as a coach with England men, added “I expect the Lions coach will be announced shortly after next year’s world cup next autumn. ”

Mitchell says he has already had to learn a lot about the different demands of coaching women and men.

‘I have found it a refreshing change. I have to understand things like menstrual cycles and different physical demands in things like tendon loading. Also about handling athletes who have come back from motherhood.

‘In the women’s game, we still see a lot of involvement of amateurs in top squads. I’m learning a hell of a lot’.

Meanwhile, with England’s former world player of the year Emily Scarratt making her comeback from injury, Mitchell is looking elsewhere for vice-captains for the six nations.

He says he doesn’t want to burden Scarratt with extra responsibility as she is returning from a long term neck injury. Scarratt should focus on performance to start with, though she will form part of the ‘leadership group’.

Asked what would happen if Marlie Packer is injured? Mitchell said; ‘Zoe Aldcroft, Sadia Kabeya and Megan Jones will be in line to takeover. It would depend on who was on the pitch at the time’.

It is the first new competition for girls* and boys linked to Bill. The broadcasting legend would no doubt have been delighted. Bill McLaren died in January 2010, but now his family have a hand in ensuring his legacy lives on.

The Bill McLaren School 7’s will be on 21 March in Hawick run by the Hawick club.

This will be the first time the event has been held.  It comes as Hawick RFC celebrates its 150th anniversary.

“16 boys teams under 15 and 8 girls* teams under 16 are competing and the event has been sponsored by the Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust, Scottish Building Society and The Bill McLaren Foundation”, says Alan Lawson.

McLaren’s family are determined his memory will continue to benefit grass-roots rugby.

Bill’s family says; “We’ve got ambitions for it to become an annual event.

“Progressively, we want to bring in new age group competitions and involved wider Borders clubs.

“We are targeting an age group which doesn’t get a chance up to now. Sevens is a great way to get kids involved, whereas in 15 a side a child can get stuck out of the game on the wing.

“The boys tournament will be on Hawick’s Mansfield Park home pitch and the girls* will be on Volunteer Park in the town, close to where Bill himself used to coach on Saturday mornings.”

*Update 23 February: The Foundation is currently struggling to find girls’ teams to compete in the tournament.  It seems that although schools may have girls rugby they don’t have enough players at any one age group to form teams. Sadly it may be that the girls section of the event may not actually take place.  However, it may be possible to stage a Tag event where girls of varying ages could play together in a non-contact form of rugby. We will post further updates as soon as information is available.

Source: Harlequins

Brown came back for Harlequins in their first premiership game this week in the narrow 22-17 victory over premiership newcomers Ealing Trailfinders.

‘I am looking forward to the new era under the forceable woman Belinda Moore. I missed an outlet of contact sport and running into people’.

A prop in the later half of her 30 cap England career, she now says; ‘Ideally I want to be a back rower again for Quins’.

‘After six months with the Cayman Islands I realised being a coach wasn’t for me.I struggle to plan ahead and manage people in the way coaches have to. My skills are better at turning up and playing.’

Brown was having to take a sabbatical from her career as a firefighter to play for England. She has now quit Medway Fireservice and is raising money from public speaking for the £50,000 campaign to carry out major renovations to the iconic statue of famous black nurse Mary Seacole at St Thomas’ Hospital and maintain her grave.

‘I can’t commit to being an England contracted player anymore, but I do not rule out an appearance again.’

Brown is now driven by wanting to inspire young people. She has become an ambassador for rugby charity Wooden Spoon and also Raleigh International, which takes them on adventures. ‘Young people need to understand the world outside their own bubble’ she says.

Lioness star Mead is encouraged by Dow, who broke her leg but fought back to be at the forefront of the Red Roses’ Grand Slam success.

England winger Dow has words of comfort for the Lioness’s star forward Beth Mead; ‘Has Beth broken her leg?  Well not quite.’  Mead has very severe cruciate ligament injury.

‘I tell her you are always going to get setbacks. You just need to take every step as it comes on your way to a comeback.

‘Beth has to remember there will be many big games to come in her career.

‘She has to enjoy the painful process of making it back to the top.’

Dow, 26, had her leg broken against Wales in the 2022 6 Nations. Yet she defied the odds to make it to the world Cup. However, Dow adds a word of caution about England’s ability to set further record crowds at Twickenham. She has just scored the sensational try which kick-started England ‘s championship winning performance against France and said. ‘None of us have witnessed that crowd before. It was an absolute privilege to go out there and score on home turf. But we have to realise we can’t expect to attract records crowds for games in future that are not ‘the crunch’ with the title at stake’.

Meanwhile women, alongside playing in front of a world record crowd, now have a first ever oil painting in the President’s Lounge at the HQ of rugby.

Retired England captain Sarah Hunter: “When RFU first mentioned this, I thought it was such an amazing idea to represent the women’s game and the history behind it. It shows how integral the women’s game is to rugby now, with this amazing piece of artwork taking pride of place. In another 100 years, it will have stood the test of time.”

As it kicks off, the women’s tournament ‘will be a raising of spirits after our men’s team flopped’ says flanker Matthews.

‘I’ve moved on from the WC, moving to Gloucester helped and all our chat in the England squad is now about how we can grow the gap to other nations’. Matthews is eyeing England v Wales as her comeback from injury and she praises England colleague Abbie Ward, also injured, as a potential forwards coach; ‘Abbie is a natural leader and not merely shadowing pack sessions. She is very knowledgeable and would do a good job in future’.

It comes as there are varying thoughts about how a women’s Lions should progress. ‘It would be amazing, but I’m 29 and I’m not sure it will be a reality in my career, though I am committing to the next WC in 2025’.

Former WC winner Nollie Waterman says ‘It is great they are talking, but let’s not run before we can walk. There is already the new WXV in 2023 and Barbarians and there is a danger Lions will overload players’.

Scotland’s captain Rachel Malcolm says; ‘The Lions would be a brilliant incentive but infrastructure needs to be in place and it is important we don’t throw the historic importance and heritage of the 6 Nations we already have’.

Wales’s Hannah Jones says; ‘it will be exciting if women’s Lions come together’.

Ireland’s Nichola Fryday says; ‘There would be huge interest and support’.

In all, eight members of the final squad in the WC are now missing.

Emily Scarratt is the biggest loss through injury and Abbie Ward and Vicki Cornborough are pregnant.

Simon Middleton has brought back Mo Hunt and admits she is the best scrum half in England.

‘Mo is the best scrum half in the country at the moment. She has responded fantastically well to being left out of the WC. She is in the form of her life’, he said announcing 42 names for training including nine uncapped newcomers.

‘Mo has told me; ‘I just want to look forward’, said Middleton.

Full training squad:

Forwards
Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 38 caps)
Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 25 caps)
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
May Campbell (Saracens, uncapped)
Bryony Cleall (Harlequins, 7 caps)
Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 63 caps)
Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, uncapped)
Amy Cokayne (Harlequins, 70 caps)
Liz Crake (Wasps, uncapped)
Lark Davies (Bristol Bears, 44 caps)
Rosie Galligan (Harlequins, 9 caps)
Detysha Harper (Loughborough Lightning, 5 caps)
Sarah Hunter (CC; Loughborough Lightning, 140 caps)
Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 8 caps)
Poppy Leitch (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps)
Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 56 caps)
Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 17 caps)
Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 24 caps)
Marlie Packer (CC; Saracens, 89 caps)
Connie Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury, 7 caps)
Emily Robinson (Harlequins, uncapped)
Hannah Sims (Harlequins, uncapped)
Morwenna Talling (Loughborough Lightning, 5 caps)

Backs
Holly Aitchison (Saracens, 15 caps)
Jess Breach (Saracens, 24 caps)
Abby Dow (Harlequins, 30 caps)
Elizabeth Duffy (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 9 caps)
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 60 caps)
Leanne Infante (Saracens, 57 caps)
Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 31 caps)
Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 43 caps)
Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 9 caps)
Amber Reed (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 22 caps)
Ellie Rugman (Gloucester-Hartpury, uncapped)
Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 2 caps)
Lydia Thompson (Worcester Warriors, 58 caps)
Lagi Tuima (Harlequins, 12 caps)
Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, uncapped)

Players unavailable for selection: Hannah Botterman (knee), Vickii Cornborough (personal reasons), Vicky Fleetwood (ankle), Laura Keates (anterior cruciate ligament), Zoe Harrison (anterior cruciate ligament), Emily Scarratt (neck and ankle), Abbie Ward (pregnancy).

Quins say ‘around 50,000’ have already bought tickets for the women’s and mens double-header versus Bristol next month.

Furthermore, ‘more than 20,000’ have already bought tickets for England women against France in the six nations clash which will be at Twickenham next April.

As the women’s premiership kicks off, more clubs are trying to tap a world cup bounce and Bristol Bears are offering ‘women’s only’ season tickets for the first time ever.

Bristol director Dave Ward, husband of England star Abbie Ward, says; ‘We have already sold 160 women’s season tickets at £50 a head. It is incredible value for at least two cup games and nine home league games.’

Last season Bristol had an average home gate of 800 and it hopes it will get nearer the 2500 capacity of Shaftesbury Park this season.

England’s former world cup winner Rachael Burford said; ‘Regardless of the WC final result, the momentum is there for the women’s game. Everyone wants to see more of what we saw at the world cup. I have been there in terms of winning and losing finals and right now it is the hardest thing for our England players to digest it and appreciate the perspective of the impact they have had on our game’.

She is preparing for another season at Quins and adds ‘pro salaries for all the women at the club ‘are still several years away, though it is something i want to see’. Right now it is about trying to maximise the potential of the 2025 home world cup.’

About the potential record domestic game crowd next month she says;’Hopefully genuine fans , male and female, will turn up early for the double header with Bristol at Twickenham and not just come to watch the men, as has been the case when double-headers were staged in the past’.

Bristol’s world cup England star lock Abbie Ward says; ‘This is going to be the most competitive women’s premiership ever. I will return to play again in about three weeks and will have to fight for my place’.

Gloucester Hartbury head coach Sean Lynn says his club will be giving away ‘around 200 free community tickets for girls each game’ and women’s only game tickets will start at £5.

Its star player, Natasha Hunt, says ‘the geography of splitting between two home towns is a hurdle to fans’. She vows to try and regain her England scrum half jersey.

Sarah Fane

Tens of thousands raised will help expand this country’s network of coaching hubs, with particular benefit targeted at girls.

The money will be used to grow the ‘free to access’ hubs from the 74 at present to 100, with 13 new hubs earmarked for next season.

Organiser of the event, Isabelle Duncan says; ‘We, the Cricket Society Trust (I am president), hosted the lunch in the Long Room. We’re delighted with more than £20,000 raised, the majority for the MCC Foundation, and the rest for Fred Trueman Schools League. We specifically want the funds to go towards girls cricket coaching hubs around the country for disadvantaged state-school kids. Please see cricketsocietytrust.co.uk and https://www.lords.org/mcc/mcc-foundation’.

This year, under 18 girls played their national hubs final at HQ for the first time.

‘It was won by Bradford. It was an important milestone and girls who took part can one day dream to play for the national team’, said MCC Foundation’s Sarah Fane.

New MCC President Clare Connor said;’As first female president I will deliberately bring a female lens to the game and hope for a more progressive future’.

She also told the event how the pioneering Rachael Heyhoe Flint will be remembered by the North gates at the ground being renamed in her honour in time for the first men’s test of next summer.

There is also a ‘massive’ year ahead with the England women’s team now in Oman preparing for their Ashes. Also the Commonwealth Games ‘could provide a platform for olympic inclusion for women’.

Furthermore, GB women sevens they won’t take part in either the opening or closing ceremonies as they try to go better than the fourth they came in Rio 2016 sevens.

Back row forward Alex Matthews, who won 2018 Commonwealth bronze with England at sevens, says the team have been told that taking part in the Olympic ceremonies is not possible.

The women’s team are not staying at the Athletes Village for the whole of the first week of the Games and are outside central Tokyo at the holding camp, which is close to the Rugby Sevens venue.

Their first fixtures begin on 29th July, at 11am and 6pm in Tokyo. Matthews says; ‘We fly back home on August 2nd. So I won’t have my 28th birthday (August 3rd) at an Olympics.

It also means the women’s rugby team will not even be at a closing ceremony.’

By contrast the GB men’s team begin matches on 26th and will stay in the Olympic Village, and so they are potentially free to experience the opening of the Games.

Matthews, who also won the 15’s world cup with England in 2014, says; ‘We are going there to win a medal, though Fiji, NZ, USA will all be dangerous’. ‘I am excited, nervous, all sorts of emotions because friends and England team mates like Lydia Thompson have not made the squad.’

She and her team spent last week ‘in greenhouse condition and 80 per cent humidity in Loughborough’, to prepare. Asked about no crowds she says; ‘Once I am on the pitch I don’t pay attention to crowds anyway. You’ve got to do what is safest for everyone’.

Team GB

Holly Aitchison
Abbie Brown
Abi Burton
Deborah Fleming
Natasha Hunt
Megan Jones
Jasmine Joyce
Alex Matthews
Celia Quansah
Helena Rowland
Hannah Smith
Emma Uren

Women’s reserve: Lisa Thomson

Dan Bibby
Alec Coombes
Alex Davis
Robbie Fergusson
Harry Glover
Ben Harris
Ollie Lindsay-Hague
Ross McCann
Max McFarland
Tom Mitchell
Dan Norton
Ethan Waddleton

Men’s reserve: Tom Bowen