A skillful number eight, Poppy Cleall was voted as the 2021 England Player of the Year. She currently plays for the England women’s rugby union team and Saracens Women. Additionally, she made her England debut in 2016 at the Women’s Six Nations.
Born on 12 June 1992 in Norwich, Norfolk, Poppy Cleall began playing rugby at the age of six. She played for numerous teams during her childhood and teen years, including Ellingham & Ringwood, Wimborne and Salisbury RFC.
Cleall’s club career started in 2010 when she signed for Bristol Ladies. She then remained with the side until 2012, when she joined Saracens Women.
She then returned to Bristol before rejoining Saracens in 2016. It’s at Saracens where she has enjoyed some of her career highlights. During this period of her career, she has won three consecutive Premiership titles and was named as Player of the Match for the 2019 final and the 2022 semi-final.
In terms of her international career, Cleall is a key player for the England team. She debuted in 2016 and appeared in every match at the 2017 Six Nations, where she won the Grand Slam. She also competed in the 2017 Rugby World Cup.
By 2019, Poppy Cleall had become a Six Nations phenomenon. She scored four tries during the tournament: two during England’s 46-21 victory over France and two in their 80-0 win against Scotland. She also signed her professional England contract and competed in the 2019 Super Series.
Cleall’s Six Nations success continued in 2020. She scored a hat trick during England’s 66-7 victory over Wales and a try in their 54-0 win against Italy. She finished the tournament as the joint top try scorer alongside teammate Abigail Dow. Then, in 2021, she was named Six Nations Player of the Championship.
More recently, Cleall has captained England on numerous occasions. This includes their match against Italy at the 2022 Six Nations, where Cleall took her fifth title and England won the Grand Slam. She also represented the national team at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup.
A star of the game with a lot more still to give, we can’t wait to watch Poppy Cleall’s next match.
It started as a joke but now it's serious. Marcelle Parkes has been contracted to the Black Ferns as a loosehead prop.
The 2024 Women’s Six Nations is just around the corner and I am extremely excited and honoured to have been named in the squad for the campaign.
England Women's 