Bryony Antonia Cleall (born 12 June 1992) is an English rugby union player.[1] She plays for Harlequins Women at club level and is a member of the England Women's Rugby Team having earned her first cap in the 2019 Women's Six Nations.[2]
| Date of birth | 12 June 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Norwich, Norfolk, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 108 kg (17 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Poppy Cleall (twin sister) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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International career
editShe made her England debut against Ireland in the 2019 Women’s Six Nations when she came on as a replacement and scored a try.[3]
On the strength of this and her performance at Saracens, she was awarded a professional contract for the 2019/20 season.[2] One week after her England debut, Cleall broke her leg which meant a lengthy gap between her first and second cap her country.[4]
Her second appearance for England came in the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship,[3] where she scored a try in the opening match.[5][6][7]
Club career
editCleall currently plays for Harlequins for women’s team. Her twin sister and England teammate, Poppy Cleall, plays for Saracens, women. She left Saracens to go to play for Wasps women. While at Saracens Cleall was awarded the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Year award for the 2017/18 season whilst winning back to back Tyrrells Premier 15s title.[8]
On 27 February 2024 Harlequins announced she had been released from her contract with the club by mutual agreement.[9]
Injuries
editCleall's career has been blighted by several major injuries and illnesses. At 17, she suffered a serious knee injury while preparing for the England U20s trials. She underwent four knee operations for a torn anterior cruciate ligament which kept her from playing rugby for five years.[10]
When she was added to the starting line up for the 2021 Six Nations side, she found it hard to believe as injuries had meant it had been a long time coming. She said, “I did have to ask if it was an April fools because the team came out on 1 April. I couldn’t even put my feelings into words.”[3]
Early life and education
editBorn in Norwich, she attended Burgate School and Sixth Form in Hampshire and went on to study Sports Science and Geography at Loughborough University.[1]
She and Poppy first played rugby at an after-school club aged seven. She went on to play at Ellingwood and Ringwood RFC, as well as Salisbury, Wimborne and Bristol Bears.[1]
She returned to the game in 2015 when she started a Masters at Exeter University (gaining a PGCE in Physical Education and an MSc in Educational research),where she played under former England scrum-half and captain Jo Yapp.[2][1]
Cleall is also Director of Rugby at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace. She also created the first girls state school rugby academy in partnership with her club, Saracens.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Bryony Cleall". Saracens. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ a b c "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ a b c ""We're so proud of her": Bryony Cleall completes fairytale comeback". Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ Rowan, Kate (4 April 2021). "England victory gives Cleall sisters cause for twin celebration". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Fairytale England comeback for Bryony Cleall". Ham & High. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ "Women's Six Nations: England v Scotland - Bryony Cleall makes 'comeback to end all comebacks'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ Chaudry, Ziad (6 April 2021). "Fairytale England comeback for Bryony Cleall". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Bryony Cleall". Women's Rugby Agency. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Bryony Cleall: England prop leaves Harlequins by 'mutual agreement'". BBC. 27 February 2024. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "'The comeback to end all comebacks'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 June 2021.