HUNDREDS of students had the chance to meet two sporting legends on Friday with the arrival of members of two of England’s reigning women’s World Cup rugby champions.
Red Roses’ Jess Breach and captain Zoe Stratford (née Aldcroft) visited several secondary schools, including Le Rocquier and Beaulieu, to deliver Q&A sessions and talks to students.
The duo were part of the team that led England to victory in the final of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in September against Canada.
They performed in front of a record-breaking home crowd of more than 81,000 at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, and helping England to their first Women’s World Cup title in 11 years.
At Beaulieu, the pair shared their wisdom about developing resilience, handling nerves, coping under pressure, and the responsibility of being a role model.
The sportswomen also presented badges to sports prefects – recognising leadership, dedication, and contributions to the school community.
After their visit, a spokesperson for Beaulieu School said the school was “grateful for the opportunity to host such exceptional role models”.
It formed part of a packed itinerary for the pair during their two-day stay on the Island.
On Friday night, the pair were the VIP guests at a special event at the Jersey Rugby Club.
Named ‘Wine Down w/ the Red Roses: Road to the World Cup’, the world champions discussed their experiences during a wine tasting with a packed room of guests.
Hosted by Jersey-born Commonwealth archer Lucy O’Sullivan, the evening also featured an auction and raffle.
Finally, on Saturday, Breach and Stratford were welcomed to the Jersey Rugby Club to hold training sessions for girls.
The packed open session in St Peter saw girls aged six to 18, including some who had never played rugby before, train with the World Cup champions.
The visit was organised by Nudge, a coaching organisation that aims to remove financial barriers to sport for young people.
