Ceri Large

As a child Ceri used to ride her bike to Drybrook Rugby Club in Gloucestershire. She lived just a stone’s throw from the ground and would go along with her three rugby-mad brothers and her inspirational dad, Philip, who used to play for Rotherham. She remembers: “Dean, my eldest brother, started when he was seven and we’ve been up there with a ball ever since.”

Ceri started playing at the age of six. She was to spend 12 years with the club. “I still come back to Drybrook to watch as my brother Ben plays fly half for the firsts.”

She’d love to emulate Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup-winning drop goal – her fondest memory – and can’t wait to play in France as she says the support there is second to none.

Ceri joined Worcester in 2010, winning the Most Improved Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year in 2012 and she captained the side last season.

In 2011, Ceri made her England debut against France. She and fellow debutante Alexandra Matthews became the first Hartpury College students to win senior women’s international rugby caps. At Hartpury, Ceri earned a BTEC National Diploma in Sport.

Drybrook, in the Forest of Dean, remains an inspirational place for Ceri. She names the Mannings Ground as right up there with the best grounds to play at along with Twickenham and Kingsholm – the home ground of her favourite club, Gloucester.

Ceri works as a Community Rugby Coach for the RFU based in Wiltshire. She also coaches the Rugby Rockets in what spare time she has.

Last updated: July 1, 2014