England Women call-up to face Wales for former Letchworth and Welwyn Rugby Club member

Sydney Gregson has been named in the starting XV for the England Women’s team to play Wales in their opening Six Nations encounter this weekend.

The former Letchworth and Welwyn player, who now represents Bristol and who has previously been called up to play for the England U20s and Sevens teams, is one of three debutants for the clash to be played in Swansea.

Acting head coach Nicola Ponsford has also included eight World Cup winners in the starting line-up while Justine Lucas, who is from Baldock, has been named as a replacement for the match.

Darlington Mowden Park Sharks’ Tamara Taylor will captain the side with Wasps scrum-half La Toya Mason named as vice-captain.

In the back line Gregson will be joined by another debutant, and her Bristol team-mate, Abbie Brown.

Gregson attended a four-day training camp last week, and discovered on Tuesday she had made the starting XV.

Speaking just hours after finding out, the 19-year-old said: “The first person I called was my mum. I think she was probably more excited than me.

“She’s now trying to get tickets for the game.”

Gregson’s family still live in Baldock, where the rugby union player was brought up and attended Knights Templar School.

The teenager joined Letchworth Rugby Club at the age of 12 - “I wouldn’t be where I am today had there not been a side there,” she says - and spent three years at the club before moving on to Welwyn and then Bristol.

“I’m shocked, I wasn’t expecting to get in the England squad this year never mind starting the first Six Nations match,” Gregson said.

“One of my good friends [Brown] is also starting the game at No.13 and we’re both young players and are in our first season of senior rugby.

“Bristol has definitely helped out a lot as we’re getting regular game time and that has made a massive difference.

“I like to think that hopefully if I play well in the game then I will play more in the Six Nations. At the moment there are some players away in South America [playing sevens rugby in the Brazil leg of the World Series], so this is a big opportunity to prove my place.

“A few people from Letchworth Rugby Club have messaged me and have wished me good luck. I’ve also had a message from Welwyn Girls’ Twitter account.

“A few from Letchworth Rugby Club are hoping to come down for the game, and it’s being live streamed (on BBC Wales) so more people can watch it.”

England are the world champions having defeated Canada in the final of the Rugby World Cup last year, and Gregson says she is excited to be around such quality players as she aims to build her own career.

“They’ve all been very helpful to me. I’ve spoken to a few who have said ‘well done’ and if I have any questions I know I can go to them,” Gregson said.

“A few of the Six Nations games are live on Sky, which is amazing.

“I was watching them last year, following the Six Nations and now it’s strange being part of it.

“I’m now at college for the rest of the week where I will be doing my own training, but I get set analysis tasks to do about the Welsh.

“I’ll then go to the England camp on Saturday morning and there will be training sessions on the Saturday and a meeting where we discuss the analysis, and then there’s the game on Sunday. I can’t wait.”

Speaking about her new-look team, coach Ponsford said: “This season is the start of a new world cup cycle for us so the Six Nations is an opportunity for us to bring on a number of new players.

“We have got some really exciting young players coming through who will learn a lot from this experience. Hannah Field, Abbie Brown and Sydney Gregson have all played international sevens so they already have some international experience under their belts.”