No 8 Alex Matthews and wing Abby Dow have been named in the past three World Rugby teams of the year, while second-row Zoe Aldcroft, flanker Marlie Packer and full-back Ellie Kildunne have all featured twice. Outside centre Meg Jones, the Premiership Women’s Rugby player of the season, will most likely join that group at the end of the year given her outstanding form with Leicester and England. Kildunne, last year’s World Rugby player of the year, feels on the cusp of cracking mainstream media beyond the women’s game.
