Sophie tries for trophy win
Hartlepool Sixth Form PE Teacher and Irish international rugby player Sophie Spence with St Hilds School pupils during a careers day held at the school. Picture by FRANK REID
A RUGBY player is flying the flag for her country in one of the sport’s biggest tournaments.
College sports tutor Sophie Spence is representing Ireland in the Rugby Union women’s Six Nations competition, which kicked off on February 2.
The 25-year-old, who works as a sports tutor at Hartlepool Sixth Form College, scored the opening try in the country’s opening match of the Six Nations – a 13-12 win against France.
Sophie who is eligible to play for the side as her mum is from Northern Ireland, is hoping to be in the starting line-up against Scotland today.
It marks a remarkable rise for Sophie, who only took up the sport while at Teesside University.
She said: “I hadn’t played rugby before I went to university, but rugby just seemed to come naturally and I progressed very quickly.
“I started out playing for the university team and was asked to play at an Irish exiles training camp – from there I was chosen for the national team.
“Representing my country is the best feeling in the world and I was so proud to score the first try against Wales.
“Rugby is such an intense, physical sport, it’s something I enjoy so much.”
Sophie, from South Shields, earned her first cap for Ireland in last year’s Six Nations.
She said: “Being part of the national team is amazing.
“It’s a great squad to be apart of and following our last two positive results this year it is going exceptionally well.
“It would be great to land the Six Nations Trophy this year.”
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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