Jade Konkel

Jade Konkel

Konkel in 2021
Full name	Jade Elizabeth Konkel-Roberts
Born	Jade Elizabeth Konkel (1993-12-09) 9 December 1993 (age 31) Inverness, Scotland
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	85 kg (13 st 5 lb; 187 lb)
University	Glasgow Caledonian University
Rugby union career
Position Number 8 Current team Harlequins Women Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) –2017 Hillhead Jordanhill RFC -- (--) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2017–18 Lille -- (--) 2018–present Harlequins -- (--) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2013–2025 Scotland 74 50 Correct as of 20 November 2025

Jade Elizabeth Konkel-Roberts (née Konkel; born 9 December 1993), known professionally as Jade Konkel, is a professional rugby union player. She currently plays for Harlequins Women in the PWR, having joined the team in 2018 and been appointed club captain in 2023 ^[1] . Konkel also played for the Scotland women's national team from 2013 to 2025, after which she retired from international rugby ^[2] . Konkel plays in the position of Number 8.

Club career

After moving to Glasgow to attend university, Konkel played for Hillhead Jordanhill Rugby Football Club. Konkel became Scottish Rugby's first full-time female player in the summer of 2016. ^[3]

Konkel joined French club Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois (LMRCV) ahead of the 2017/18 season, while still remaining a Stage 3 supported player in Scottish Rugby's Academy. ^[4]

Konkel left Lille for London-based side Harlequins ahead of the 2018/19 season to play Premiership Women’s Rugby for Harlequins Women. ^{[5] [6]} She was named captain ahead of the 2023/2024 season. ^[1]

International career

Konkel made her Scotland Women debut against England on 2nd February 2013 when she came on as a replacement for Mary Lafaiki in the first game of the 2013 Women's Six Nations at Molesey Road, Surrey. ^[7]

Her first try for her country came in 2015 when she scored against Italy in the Six Nations clash at Broadwood Stadium. ^[8]

Konkel was included in Scotland's squad for the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand (which took place in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), starting all three games.

Konkel was named in Scotland's squad for the 2025 Six Nations Championship. ^{[9] [10]} She was also selected in the Scottish side for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England. ^{[11] [12]}

Konkel retired from international rugby in 2025 following the Rugby World Cup. ^[2]

Playing style

Konkel is known as a hard carrying, physical player. In the opening rounds of the 2020 Six Nations, she carried a combined 55 times (away to Ireland and versus England at BT Murrayfield) which was over 20 carries more than any other player over the first two rounds of the tournament. ^[13]

Education

Konkel graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University with a DipHE in Social Work in 2017 ^[14]

Other sports

Konkel played basketball for Highland Bears and had two seasons in the national league.

She represented Scotland in athletics for the army cadets and won two gold medals in 2008/09 for shot put and discus respectively. In 2008, Konkel gained her black belt in the martial art Goshin-Ryu Kempo.

Personal life

Born in Inverness, and brought up on the Black Isle, Konkel grew up in a rugby family. Her family played with Inverness Craig Dunain Rugby Football Club.

Konkel is a vegan. ^[15] She is also a qualified personal trainer, rugby coach, and gym instructor. ^{[16] [ better source needed ]}

Outside of rugby, Konkel works as a firefighter with the London Fire Brigade (LFB). ^[17] She married her partner Helen, a secondary school English teacher, in 2022. ^[18]

References

1. "Jade Konkel named Harlequins Captain". Harlequins FC. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
2. "Konkel to retire from international duties at the end of the Women's Rugby World Cup". Scottish Rugby. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
3. "Jade Konkel: First Scottish woman signs pro rugby deal". BBC Sport. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
4. "Scotland's Konkel set for French Top 8". BBC Sport.
5. Barnes, David (7 August 2019). "Konkel excited by Harlequins move". The Offside Line. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
6. Cary, Tom (26 April 2019). "Harlequins Ladies No 8 Jade Konkel making capital out of her big move south". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
7. "England Women 76-0 Scotland Women". BBC Sport.
8. "Scotland women 8-31 Italy women". BBC Sport.
9. Gould, Caitlin (19 February 2025). "Scotland squad announced for 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations". Scottish Rugby. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
10. Thomas, Martyn (19 February 2025). "Nine uncapped players in Scotland's Women's Six Nations squad". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
11. "Scotland squad named for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025". Scottish Rugby Union. 7 August 2025. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
12. "Scotland names RWC 2025 squad". Rugby World Cup 2025 England. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
13. OptaJonny (12 February 2020). "55 – @Scotlandteam's @JadeKonkel has made 55 carries after just two rounds of the @Womens6Nations this year, 20 more than any other player in the tournament. Persistent.pic.twitter.com/h8w4TU62Xn". @OptaJonny. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
14. "Jade Konkel | Glasgow Caledonian University | Scotland, UK". www.gcu.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020.
15. "Scotland No 8 Jade Konkel's remarkable rugby journey". 25 April 2019.
16. "Jade Konkel". Apex Training & Performance. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
17. Lee, Eleanor (23 September 2022). "Saving Lives And Scoring Tries". Glorious Sport. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
18. "'We had both planned proposals'". The Times. 13 August 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2025.

External links

• profile on Scottish Rugby