‘Men had priority; we had nothing’: Ex-England captain on women’s rugby’s ’battle’ to historic final this weekend

Excitement is high as the Red Roses prepare for the World Cup final against Canada at Twickenham this weekend. With women’s sport experiencing a huge upsurge in support and coverage in recent years, it can be easy to forget just how far things have come.

We sat down with ex-England player Maxine Edwards, who was the first captain to lead the Red Roses out for a match at Twickenham in 2003, to look back on her career and ahead to Saturday’s final. From her route into the sport to becoming England’s second Black women’s captain and juggling motherhood alongside her sporting career, Maxine is a pioneer of women’s rugby who understands what it takes to lead a team to victory.

How did you first get into in rugby?

I was Games Captain at school and would often go to the leisure centre in the evening to do sports like volleyball and karate. One day, I saw a poster advertising a rugby club. I’d seen rugby on the television but didn’t understand much about the game and the rules. I went along to the club and I loved it.

Maxine Edwards preparing for a lineout

In our first match, we got absolutely hammered – I think it was 80-something nil, but I didn’t care. Our team was made up of people who were all different body shapes and sizes. I’d never felt like I fitted a particular sport but with rugby, you didn’t have to be a certain type of ‘athlete’ – you were free.

What was it like for women in rugby at the time?

This was the 80s. Women could play rugby at university, but after that there was nothing. I started playing at Bromley [Rugby Club] and if the women’s team wanted to play, we had to clean the changing rooms and work in the kitchens. It was hard and there was a constant battle. If we wanted a pitch, it would be one right at the back that had an uphill slope and was full of water. The men had priority – we were even below the minis [youth teams]. But we carried on anyway, because we just wanted the chance to play.

The team moved and became Blackheath [Women’s Rugby Club] and then I moved to Saracens and eventually gained my first cap for England in 1991. The Red Roses now are completely different from when we used to play. If we had a match in a different country, we’d pay for the hotel and the flights and we’d need to know what state our kit was in – whether a sock was missing or our shorts were dirty. We were controlling a lot of things as players. Plus, when it came to injuries, you probably couldn’t afford physio, so you had to make that choice of potentially playing while injured or being out of the game for a long period.

What was it like juggling motherhood as a sportsperson?

I found out I was pregnant after the 1991 World Cup. There wasn’t maternity cover, that’s for sure, so it took me five years to get back into the sport. When I did, it was like a military operation, relying on my brothers, sister, mum and sometimes a friend. I’d drop my son off, go and play, come back at 10 o’clock at night to pick him up and then head home. It was hard, really hard, to juggle all of that.

Luckily, England were supportive and they looked at ways they could help. My son would come on tour with us and he absolutely loved it. I remember going to a physio session while he headed off with Selena Rudge (England Rugby Union hooker) with his little backpack on. The girls really did muck in, and it made such a difference.

You’ve had some amazing career highlights…

I became captain in 2003 and at that time the captaincy was voted by the players, so it was a real honour. I was the first captain to lead out the women’s team at Twickenham in 2003, which was huge. Every international team wants to play at that ground. You can’t run away with your thoughts, though; you’ve got to focus. Sometimes people mention things afterwards and I think, ‘Did that really happen?’ because I was so in the zone.

Maxine running out onto the pitch for the first ever Red Roses match at Twickenham

When I was awarded an MBE in 2010 for services to rugby, I thought it was a joke. To think somebody has said, ‘Maxine deserves this,’ and taken the time to make that nomination – it really, really stuck with me.

How has women’s rugby evolved into where it is today?

The sport is an absolute world away from when we used to play. It’s stepped up tenfold and is truly professional. At one point, I was working as an electrician doing physical work while recovering from an injury, but now the players don’t have to take on other work alongside training and physio.

I think the Lionesses winning the World Cup this summer was really instrumental in the way that people look at women’s sport. Even more people are starting to sit back and realise that women are good at sport. Seeing the number of attendees in the stadium is something that I never could’ve imagined, too.

One of the key things about this tournament is the way it’s been advertised – it’s about them being strong and confident with who they are, and they need to be big and strong for what they do.

How have you been enjoying the current World Cup – any tips for the team?

My sister and I have been to as many games as possible. We did a six-hour coach journey to watch one match and then a seven-hour coach journey back the same day. I’ve already got my tickets to the final, too, and I’ve booked a hotel so that I can really celebrate. We’ve arranged a space at The Cabbage Patch (a famous rugby-focused pub opposite Twickenham) to get together, celebrate and just cry with happiness if they win. There’ll be lots of singing, too, of course.

I’m sure the team will have talked about and discussed the different processes for the later stages of the tournament. If they start to panic, they just need to stop, take a breath and think back to what the processes are and what they discussed as a team. I’d say to them, ‘If something is worrying you, don’t hold it to yourself – share it with your teammates.’

You’ve now been honoured as part of The Trail of Roses at the London Eye (267 roses representing each Red Roses player since the first official match in 1987). How does it feel to have such a public display of support for women’s rugby?

Maxine Edwards at the Trail of Roses

When I saw our names, I felt like crying. It just blew me away. Players now are coming into a sporting world that’s already set up for them, but the display reminds people of the history of women’s rugby and the pioneers who took risks to put on the first World Cup. Being one of the Red Roses means something – 30 years ago and today.

Young girls wanting to get involved with the sport are encouraged to visit FindRugby.com, where they can access a network of opportunities, potentially the first step in becoming the next generation of superstars for England Rugby