Bedford Tigers’ Caroline Collie has capped a wonderful debut season in the Betfred Women’s Super League South with an inaugural call-up to England’s performance squad.
With the Women’s Rugby League World Cup just around the corner, the timing could not be better for Bedford’s star player, who joins Courtney Winfield-Hill as a late call-up ahead of November’s showpiece event.
The World Cup, delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, is being hosted by England, with their first game against Brazil at Headingley on 1st November and Collie has a real chance of being involved.
Head coach, Craig Richards was highly complimentary of Collie’s abilities as he bolsters his options ahead of the World Cup, with England due to face Brazil, Canada and Papua New Guinea in the group stages.
“Caroline’s inclusion is a real success story for the Betfred Women’s Super League South and shows some of the fantastic talent the competition has already pushed forward.
“We watched Caroline on several occasions, and she really impressed with her speed and agility.
“She’s a big running threat and has the ability and confidence to score tries from anywhere on the field while her frame also makes her a handful in general play for defenders.”
Collie is a sporting polymath having already represented Arsenal and Chelsea as a goalkeeper as well as playing Rugby Union 7’s, representing Scotland.
Now though, she has turned her attention to England’s Rugby League squad, with England due to face France in a mid-season international in June at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Collie is the first name to make it to the England squad from the newly formed Women’s Super League South, which was created in 2021.
