First year students, Vicky Laflin, Cara Brincat, and Akina Gondwe have all been selected to represent England U20 on a tour of Canada, competing against USA and Canada.
Written by Rosie Williams
First year students, Vicky Laflin, Cara Brincat, and Akina Gondwe have all been selected to represent England U20 on a tour of Canada. Lewis Arnold, Head Rugby Coach at the University of Worcester said:
“It’s a fantastic achievement for the three young women selected to tour Canada. To play for your country is a privilege and the university of Worcester representatives have a great opportunity to perform on the international stage. The three scholars have excelled this year on the UW performance program and are a testament to the partnership between Worcester Valkyries and the University of Worcester. I wish Cara, Akina and Vicky the best of luck!”
Meet Vicky, Cara and Akina!
Victoria Laflin participated in a variety of sport from a young age. However, rugby prevailed and coincided with a natural ability for the sport, demonstrated by attaining various awards from U10 to U18 at her Berkshire club. Laflins’ junior career was capped off by being awarded the lifetime achievement award at her school, which acted as further inspiration to push herself to the next level of the game. The University has played a crucial part in Laflins’ whirlwind year, through providing a crucial scholarship as well as personal development through provision of a mentor. Laflin describes this as a support that created a greater link between her academia and rugby.
“Additionally, a great committee and coaching staff I felt well looked after when balancing university fixtures, Valkyrie games and camps. This allowed a great link between the university and Valkyries making me feel a lot more supported and comfortable”.
Perhaps as testament to her great character, not only did she have the stresses of dealing with higher education, premiership rugby and BUCS Rugby, but also her diagnosis with anaemia.
“Balancing University and sport is extremely hard. It requires a lot of planning and self-discipline to keep sight on the goal you are striving towards. All of which became more difficult as the effects of my anaemia became extremely evident, resulting in a few months off the pitch which really regressed my development in rugby. This really set me back as I missed the first three matches for the England U20s. After this I turned my focus on next season getting stronger. Luckily I got called into camp and managed to get selected to play in Canada, which I could not be more excited and grateful about!”.
Laflin is an ambassador and women’s rugby advocate, striving to diminish societal barriers placed on women’s rugby, she says, “women’s rugby is exciting and physical and is still growing – it’s amazing!”. Laflin encourages anyone to try Rugby, stating “It’s as simple as run forwards, pass backwards. Just get stuck in and enjoy it, you will not get it straight away, but everyone has to start somewhere”. Striving to put on an England shirt on the international stage, whether a world cup or international series, aiming to “forever play rugby, forever enjoy it, and inspire the younger generation!”.
Akina Gondwe
Transitioning from the athletics track to the rugby pitch in 2014, Gondwe’s development has surged. Competing for her first club, the Beccehamians, her initial success spurred and Gondwe’s development went from growth to growth. In her final junior season she was elected County Captain for Kent, selected into the South East divisional squad and selected into the England U20 squad for the upcoming season. Accolades accompanied her achievements, with Gondwe being awarded Outstanding Performance at her club, and Senior Outstanding Performance in Sport for 2017 at her school, Langley Park for Girls.
Gondwe says:
"Competing in the University of Worcester Ladies Rugby Team has been really good for me this year. It’s made me see rugby from a different perspective and has allowed me to have valuable game time to work on the small things, to enhance my game for premiership rugby. I hadn’t heard of Worcester before, but then I chose Worcester on results day because of Roy, the Valkyries and University coach said the partnership between the university and Valkyries was going to be a good one".
To end a tough season in Women’s Rugby, facing injury and tough losses competing for the Valkyries, Gondwe describes her selection for the tour as a ‘great accomplishment’. After narrowly missing selection for both France games with the U20s, this selection is highlighted as an exciting opportunity for Gondwe to get her chance, which she is thrilled to do. Gondwe says, ‘I’m hoping the tour is going to be a successful tour’, looking for success over Canada and the USA as it would be a fantastic accomplishment as a team, with Gondwe focused on performing well individually to contribute to the overall team success.
Cara Brincat
Cara Brincat’s escalating rugby involvement began through her secondary-school physical education lessons. Soon after, Brincat was playing in a mixed club in Hungerford but decided to further her career by a move to Newbury, where she starred in an all-girls team. Success continued to ooze, with regional and county selection achieved and winning national championships, undefeated for Newbury and Reading. Selection into the Talent Development Group in 2016, evolved into an England U18s 7s trial in France, where the squad achieved European Champion status.
European champion, Brincat, also signed for Worcester Valkyries when moving to the Univeristy of Worcester to complete higher education studies. Brincat says:
“The Valkyries signing was a great opportunity, as I was starting every week. The University of Worcester Ladies Program has assisted with my performance because of the great partnership, this partnership gives players the choice to more training to developing their skills further or getting the opportunity to play more games and get more experience in playing rugby at a higher level.”
This season saw Brincat compete in the Dubai 7s as well as being pulled up to as series of U20 camps. Building up to Canada selection, Brincat failed to make the squad for a France home game. Using the feedback from coaches, Brincat used this perceived set-back as motivation to strive forward to attain selection again. Brincat aspires to “get experience in a number of ways such as playing at international level gaining more and more experience through the three games. It gives me great pride to be able to represent my country in such a good way doing something I love”.
Vice President Student Activities at Worcester Students' Union, Harrison Jarret, says:
"Worcester Students' Union are incredibly proud of Cara, Akina and Victoria in being chosen to represent their country, such an amazing achievement. We really are looking forward to getting the BUCS season underway with the girls back representing Worcester. Well Done Girls #TeamWorc"