Jess Breach

Last updated

Jess Breach
Full nameJessica Frances Breach
Born (1997-11-04) 4 November 1997 (age 27)
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Saracens Women
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016–2017 Aylesford Bulls ()
2017–2022 Harlequins ()
2022– Saracens ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016–2017 England U20s
2017– England 43 (180)
National sevens teams
YearsTeamComps
2015 England U18s
2017–2018 England

Jessica Frances "Jess" Breach (born 4 November 1997) [1] is an England women's national rugby union team international who also plays for Saracens. [2]

Contents

International career

Breach scored six tries on her international debut for England women's national rugby union team against Canada in November 2017. [3] She also scored five more tries on her second international appearance the following week. [4]

Breach played for Rugby Sevens for England and won a bronze medal as part of the England team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also played at the World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. [5] where she won a bronze medal. [1] [2]

In January 2019, Breach returned to XVs and was awarded a full time contract with the England side. She played for the team in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship and topped the try-scoring charts for the tournament. [2] On 10 February 2019, Breach scored two tries as England ladies defeated France in the Six Nations Championship. [6] She missed the 2019 Super Series due to a shoulder injury but returned for the Autumn. Following the 2020 Six Nations, she had scored 22 tries in her first 13 tests. [2]

She was named in the England squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in October and November 2022. [7]

On 17 March 2025, she was called into the England side for the 2025 Six Nations Championship. [8] [9] In July 2025, she was named in the England squad for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. [10] [11] Breach featured in the opening match against the Eagles, and then scored her fiftieth international try as part of a hat-trick in their 92–3 win against Samoa in their second game. [12] [13] [14] She won her fiftieth test match cap, and secured her fiftieth win in an England shirt, in their World Cup match against Australia on 6 September 2025. [15]

Club career

Breach joined Aylesford Bulls Ladies in 2016, where she won a league and cup double before the club merged into Harlequins Women. She won the 2020–21 Premier 15s with Harlequins but missed the final due to an ankle injury. [16] She joined Saracens in 2022. [17]

Early and personal life

Breach grew up in Chichester, West Sussex. She started playing rugby at age six at Chichester RFC, she then joined Pulborough RFC at age 14 and was national champion in her last year at the club. She won the European Sevens with England U18s in 2014 and 2015 and captained the talent development group side against Canada. [2]

At school, alongside rugby, Breach was also a keen athlete and competed in sprint hurdling at the English Schools Athletics Championships. She also played netball and hockey, and was a county-level gymnast. [18]

She was invited to England camps at the age of 16 and secured a spot in the England U18 training squad. [16]

In 2019, she enrolled at St Mary's University to study Sports Communication and Marketing. [18]

She is in a relationship with Harlequins player Archie White. [19]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rugby Sevens | Athlete Profile: Jessica BREACH - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.[ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "RFU - England". RFU.
  3. "England's Jessica Breach scores six tries on debut in rout of Canada". The Guardian. 17 November 2017 via www.theguardian.com.
  4. Jones, Stephen (19 November 2017). "Brilliant Breach walking on air" via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  5. "Exclusive: England wing Jess Breach switches to sevens for Commonwealth Games and will miss Six Nations". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. "Women's Six Nations: England score seven tries to thrash France 41-26". BBC Sport. 10 February 2019.
  7. "Rugby World Cup: Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling in England squad". BBC Sport . 20 September 2022.
  8. "Red Roses squad for Six Nations announced". England Rugby. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  9. Thomas, Martyn (17 March 2025). "John Mitchell names 4 uncapped players in England's Six Nations squad". RugbyPass. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  10. Cartwright, Phil (24 July 2025). "Hunt & Scarratt in England's Rugby World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  11. "Red Roses Rugby squad for 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  12. Rendell, Sarah. "Jess Breach hails 'phenomenal' feeling as she eyes 50th England cap against Australia". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  13. Hamilton, Tom (30 August 2025). "Women's Rugby World Cup: Breach hat trick helps England to record win". ESPN.com. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  14. Telfer, Alastair (30 August 2025). "Women's Rugby World Cup: Jess Breach stars in 'one team' England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  15. Hayward, Paul (6 September 2025). "From touchline to tryline, Brighton's Breach continues winning streak". The Observer.
  16. 1 2 Max. "Jess Breach". Women's Rugby Data : Number 1 for Women's Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  17. "Who is Jess Breach: Ten things you should know about the England winger winning 50 caps". Rugby World. 6 September 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  18. 1 2 world.rugby. "Jess Breach: England winger has eyes set on Rugby World Cup 2021 | Rugby World Cup 2021". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  19. Rendell, Sarah (31 March 2021). "England's Jess Breach raring to put on Six Nations show for BBC audience | Sarah Rendell". the Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2021.