Rachael Burford
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Sport: Rugby Age: 21 Club: Saracens Key achievements:
Sporting ambitions: |
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Rachael Burford captained England at the 2007 FIRA Women's Sevens European Championship, where they finished runners-up behind hosts France. Rachael, who plays for Saracens, was also part of the England team that retained their Six Nations Grand Slam in March 2007.
Since the 2006 World Cup, the 21 year-old from Rochester has successfully progressed from the fringes of the England squad to one of the first names on the team sheet.
Rachael started playing rugby at the age of six for Medway Rugby Football Club (www.mrfc.net).
Rachael's career began to progress rapidly, with county and regional selections and it was on a regional performance camp that England scouts first got a glimpse of her.
Rachael was soon chosen as an England academy player and made frequent appearances in youth international fixtures. At the age of 17, Rachael left Medway RFC, her home town club, to play Premiership rugby for Henley.
While at Henley, Rachael was chosen to represent England A and then, in the summer of 2006, following a good season, she was selected for the senior England squad to go to the World Cup.
Rachael made her debut during the competition and in total made two appearances for an England side that eventually lost in the final to New Zealand.
After the World Cup, Rachael aimed to progress her domestic career further and transferred from Henley to Saracens. In doing so, she cemented her place in the England first team.
Her international progress was highlighted in the 2007 Six Nations when she started every game for an England side that successfully defended their Grand Slam title.
Having broken into the England team, Rachael wants to stay there. She hopes that by doing so it will enable her to achieve her career goal and win the World Cup with England.