Yahoo Sports Best 30 women’s rugby players in Britain right now
As 2023 draws to a close, we take a closer look at the female rugby players to shine this year. To make the top 30, they must be currently playing domestically in Britain.
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30 – Kaitlan Leaney (Harlequins and Australia)
Leaney has been a valuable import to an injury-hit Harlequins side who have waned since achieving domestic glory in 2021. A line-out poacher, dominant tackler and a menace around the breakdown, she was part of the Wallaroos side who made history by beating France at WXV. With former Worcester head coach Jo Yapp now at the helm of Australia, there are bigger things to come for the lock.
29 – Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs)
It’s been a breakout year for young winger Buchanan. With pace to burn, coupled with her intuition to go looking for the ball, she has established herself as an electric outside threat at Exeter Chiefs but it is her jackaling work on the edges — evidenced in her side’s win over Bristol last month — which is equally impressive. An England call-up is surely imminent.
28 – Sara Tounesi (Sale and Italy)
The north of England welcomed Italy’s thunderous lock at the start of the season and Tounesi, a player who relishes contact, has already made her presence felt with her forceful carries. Factor in her sharp offloading game and she is a player any squad would be blessed to have. Will be key for Italy come the Six Nations.
27 – Lana Skeldon (Bristol and Scotland)
The figurehead of Scotland’s front row, Skeldon’s close-range efficiency was underlined with her four tries in this year’s Six Nations. A relentless tackler, her move to Bristol, where she will have to fight against an all-England front row, will only make her stronger.
26 – Hannah Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury and Wales)
Jones has underlined her leadership qualities this year, having captained Wales through a tough WXV tournament. She has also used her platform to criticise the non-existent TV coverage for her side’s warm-up friendlies in the build-up to the competition.
25 – Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury and Ireland)
One of the most industrious locks in the women’s game, Monaghan played a key role in Gloucester-Hartpury’s title-winning season before captaining Ireland to the WXV3 title. A dominant tackler, she is the typical forward who does all the unseen work and a real handful in the line-out.
24 – Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs and USA)
Johnson has been a leading light for Exeter, where she has shone with her monumental work rate in the loose. As one of Chiefs’ surviving foreign imports from the club’s debut season in the women’s top flight three years ago, she repeatedly singles herself out as one of the league’s most abrasive forwards.
23 – Gwen Pyrs (Bristol and Wales)
Once a full-time sheep-dog trainer, now a full-time blood-and-thunder rugby player. Pyrs made the most carries of any front rower in this year’s Six Nations and continues to cement herself as a commanding loosehead. The worry is whether she will get enough minutes at Bristol — currently stacked with front-row talent — as she looks to finetune other areas of her game.
22 – Jade Konkel-Roberts (Harlequins and Scotland)
A qualified firefighter who lights up any pack with her ball-wrecking ability. Sadly, the Harlequins captain is unlikely to feature in next year’s Six Nations after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in the PWR last month, a huge blow to the London club.
21 – Evie Gallagher (Bristol and Scotland)
Her electric streak of dyed blue hair mirrors her destructiveness. Another former Worcester player now grabbing life by the horns at Bristol, Gallagher is deceptively strong in the tackle and has perfected her poaching ability at the breakdown. Her memorable performance against the USA at WXV suggests she will be a vital player for Scotland as they bid to qualify for the 2025 World Cup,
20 – Meg Jones (Leicester Tigers and England)
Jones has it all, including the most deadly goose step in the women’s game. She is proving to be a valuable asset in a Leicester side who are struggling to adapt to the rigours of top-flight rugby. Her attacking intuition is next level.
19 – Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury and Wales)
There can sometimes be an aversion to kicking in the women’s game but George, an unconventional fly-half who has bided her time at international level, bucks that trend. Her out-of-hand kicking — and her range with the boot — has made her a standout competitor in the PWR.
18 – Abby Dow (Ealing Trailfinders and England)
Widely regarded as one of the most lethal backs in the women’s game. Dow has already scored some absolute worldies in the PWR this season, where she has been an important presence in an inexperienced Trailfinders side, while her four-try haul against Italy in the Six Nations proved she is back to her best since her horrific leg break almost two years ago.
17 – Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears and England)
The architect of the Red Roses’ line-out maul, Atkin-Davies has cemented herself as one of the best hookers in the women’s game. A magnificent short-range threat, her try-scoring tally for the past two seasons has eclipsed that of most backs. Unsurprisingly, she was the second-highest points scorer in WXV, behind Sophie de Goede.
16 – Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury and England)
Belongs to an elite tribe of players who never has a bad game for her country. Matthews was outstanding in England’s WXV finale against the Black Ferns. Known for her astonishing work rate, she is also the epitome of calm in pressure situations.
15 – Bea Rigoni (Sale Sharks and Italy)
Italian playmaker Rigoni has already brought attacking flair and flamboyance to England’s top flight since joining Sale from Valsugana Rugby Padova. The versatile centre has made an immediate impact at the Sharks, having inspired Sale to a historic first win over Harlequins when she intercepted the ball on halfway for a fine individual score.
14 – Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning and England)
Even though England won WXV, Kabeya’s absence was at times felt in New Zealand. Her coming-of-age performance in front of a record 58,498 crowd at Twickenham against France earlier this year signalled she is a true star of the future. The sky is the limit — Kabeya has it in her to become England’s best ever flanker.
13 – Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning and Scotland)
With her swerving footwork and electric pace, Rollie cuts through defences like her favourite cake. Some might argue her try tally is not as high as it should be, but her well-balanced running would elevate any team. Her slaloming blitz down the wing against Wales in this year’s Six Nations was the stuff of dreams and has helped Loughborough’s backline sparkle this season.
12 – Claudia Macdonald (Exeter Chiefs and England)
Weird to think she was left jobless by the RFU 18 months ago following a career-threatening neck injury and was applying for full-time work outside of rugby. Previously deployed as a hybrid nine, has spent the past year moulding herself into a devastating winger who prides herself on tackle evasion and sensational line breaks.
11 – Holly Aitchison (Saracens and England)
England’s first-choice fly-half has seriously matured in the post-Simon Middleton era and has sprinkled stardust over England’s once-predictable attack. While her place-kicking has improved immeasurably, she is still yet to fully make her mark at Bristol. With Zoe Harrison back from a serious knee injury, expect a scrap for the England No 10 shirt under new head coach John Mitchell.
10 – DaLeaka Menin (Exeter Chiefs and Canada)
Bursting with power, the incredibly mobile Canadian powerhouse is a breakdown disruptor and has a knack of perforating well-drilled defences. If only the Canada Rugby Union had enough resources to professionalise their women’s players. If they did, Menin would be an even scarier prospect on the pitch.
9 – Georgia Evans (Saracens and Wales)
An absolute workhorse around the park, Evans has come back stronger since her horrific arm break in 2021. There are few more destructive carriers and better tacklers than the industrious second row, who enjoyed a 96 per cent tackle success rate in this year’s Six Nations, which was bettered only by Marlie Packer. Rarely has a bad day at the office.
8 – Poppy Leitch (Exeter Chiefs)
One of two players on this list who has not played international rugby this year. A ferocious tackler, Leitch has become the beating heart of Exeter and has cemented herself as a lineout-stealing queen. The 26-year-old has built quite a reputation for smashing rucks and it’s mad to think she hasn’t featured for England since 2019. Time for a Red Roses recall.
7 – Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury and England)
It would be rude not to include rugby’s Miss Consistent on this list. An aerial presence in the line-out and a shrewd carrier, Aldcroft is used to doing all the unglamorous work and seamlessly stepped up to the No 8 plate after Sarah Hunter’s retirement.
6 – Kate Zackary (Ealing Trailfinders and USA)
There is a reason why Zachary has played more minutes in England’s top flight than anyone else this year (1,458, which equates to 24 hours). A versatile forward who carries like a steam train, Zackary can play No 8 or outside centre and has been a calming presence in an inexperienced Trailfinders’ side since her switch from Exeter.
5 – Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins and England)
A coaches’ dream. The Harlequins flyer has always been an elusive playmaker who terrorises defences — she ranks top for the number of defenders beaten in the PWR this year — but has taken other areas of her game to the next level in 2023, especially her ability to thrive in the contact area. Playing some of the best rugby of her career.
4 – Mo Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury and England)
The perfect advert for resilience. Hunt’s magical performances inspired Gloucester-Hartpury to their maiden PWR title earlier this year. She ended 2023 on a high after being awarded a central RFU contract and there is no reason why the veteran scrum-half can’t target a home World Cup in 2025.
3 – Sophie de Goede (Saracens and Canada)
The Canadian No 8 has been immense since rejoining Saracens for her second stint last summer. A fierce carrier who is blessed with innate athleticism, de Goede belongs to an incredibly rare breed of forwards who can goal-kick, having nudged a number of vital conversions over for the Londoners this season. A human tin-opener of a rugby player.
2 – Marlie Packer (Saracens and England)
Having captained England to a fourth consecutive Six Nations title before lifting the inaugural WXV trophy in the autumn, 2023 has been a stellar year for the Red Roses captain. A world class flanker and supreme offloader, Packer drives standards for her club and country and has also been vocal in criticising lack of TV coverage in the women’s game.
1 – Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears and England)
Is she getting faster? Bern’s rampaging runs make her the most terrifying tighthead in women’s rugby. A mightily quick prop who bulldozes through players for fun, she has made more carries (234) than any other PWR player this year and sits fifth — behind four international backs — in the standings for the number of defenders beaten. Irreplaceably brilliant.
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