Date of birth | 26 June 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 169 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 75 kg (11 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Hartpury College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sophie Bridger (born 26 June 2000) is an English rugby union player who currently plays as a centre and fly-half for Saracens Women in the Premiership Women's Rugby, the top-tier competition of women's rugby union in England, and for England national team. [1]
Bridger began playing rugby at a young age with her three older brothers, before moving to Gloucestershire when she was 15 years old, to attend Hartpury College. [2] At university, she earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in exercise and sports science. [3]
After progressing through in the AASE Girls Rugby Programme, Bridger represented Hartpury University in BUCS Super Rugby – the top-flight university rugby league in the United Kingdom – between 2018 and 2022. She missed two seasons due to injury, but upon her return, she was appointed captain the university's first XV, under the tutelage of her head coach and future teammate, the Gloucester-Hartpury and England scrum-half Natasha Hunt. [4] Bridger led Hartpury to the BUCS National Championship in 2022, and her performances were recognised during the annual BUCS Rugby Awards, where she was named in the 2022 Team of the Season at fly-half. [5]
Upon graduation from university, Bridger was signed by Gloucester-Hartpury for the 2022–23 Premier 15s season. [2] She balanced her rugby career while also working as a response officer for Gloucestershire County Council. [6] Playing primarily as a centre, she enjoyed a breakthrough debut season, which culminated in winning the Premier 15s title, as she came off the bench to help her team defeat Exeter Chiefs by 34–19 in the final on 24 June 2023. [7]
Ahead of the 2023–24 Premiership Women's Rugby season, it was announced that Bridger had joined Saracens. [8]
Bridger received her first call-up to the England senior training squad from head coach Simon Middleton, during the 2023 Women's Six Nations Championship, although she remained uncapped. [2] She was called up again by interim head coach Louis Deacon that autumn, for England's warm-up tests ahead of the WXV 2023 tournament.
On 30 September 2023, Bridger made her international debut, as a replacement in England's 29–12 victory over Canada at the StoneX Stadium. [9]
Saracens Women (/ˈsærəsənz/) are an English women's rugby union club based in Hendon, London. They were established in 1989 and currently play in Premiership Women's Rugby, the top-level competition of women's rugby in the country.
Gloucester-Hartpury Women's Rugby Football Club are an English women's rugby union club based in Hartpury, Gloucestershire. They are the unified women's team of Gloucester Rugby and Hartpury University R.F.C. They were founded in 2014 and since 2017 they have played in Premiership Women's Rugby.
Premiership Women's Rugby, officially known as Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby or The Allianz PWR, is an annual semi-professional women's rugby union club competition at the highest level of the English rugby union system, and is run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). It is contested by nine clubs who play two series of round-robin matches to determine the four participants of a single-elimination tournament. It began play in the 2017–18 season, superseding the former Women's Premiership, and introducing elements of professionalism in the sport's highest level. In its first six seasons, the competition was known as the Premier 15s. Gloucester-Hartpury are the current champions, while Saracens have won the most championships (3).
Exeter Chiefs Women are a professional women's rugby union team based in Exeter, Devon, England. They were founded in 2019 to take part in the Premier 15s, the top level of English women's rugby. They are based at Sandy Park and are affiliated to Premiership Rugby's Exeter Chiefs. The side is coached by Head Coach, Susie Appleby. Kate Zackary and Poppy Leitch operate as co-captains of the side.
Ellena Lucy Perry is an English rugby union player. She represents England women's national rugby union team internationally and plays for Gloucester-Hartpury Women domestically.
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