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
