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Rachael Burford: ‘I haven’t been emotional yet but I will be’

Rachael Burford on England duty in 2017 (Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What perfect timing. On Thursday, Rachael Burford was unveiled in central London as one of the 10 founder members of the Global Rugby Players Association, the charity aiming to help assist players crossover into the rugby afterlife.

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This Sunday, she will begin her own transition away from playing as Harlequins’ Premiership Women’s Rugby fixture versus Trailfinders at The Stoop heralds her final appearance in the midfield just 11 weeks before her 38th birthday.

The farewell emotions hadn’t hit when she pulled up a chair to chat with RugbyPass after a function where she shared a stage with the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Conrad Smith to name just two of the rugby glitterati that had assembled to launch a foundation that has George Gregan as chair of the trustees board.

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Former England player Rachael Burford dines on vegemite & chip sandwich atop Mount Eden | Sam Smith Reports | Rugby World Cup 2021

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    Former England player Rachael Burford dines on vegemite & chip sandwich atop Mount Eden | Sam Smith Reports | Rugby World Cup 2021

    “I haven’t been emotional this week yet but I think I will be,” she admitted. “My family are going to be there. It’s one thing to keep saying, ‘Yeah, it’s my last game, it’s my last game’ and then when the whistle blows or I come off the pitch before the end of the game that is it.

    “That will hit me and I have had loads of reflection this week. The game has really given me so much. Not just winning games or being part of Rugby World Cups. It’s everything else around it and the journey that I have been on.

    “I feel so incredibly grateful for what the game has given me and really excited to continue to give back to the game post-playing as well, but I think there will be some tears shared.”

    It will be only natural for the tears to flow given the stellar CV that Burford has accumulated over the years as a 2014 World Cup winner with more than 80 England caps having started in the humble rugby surrounds of Henley in 2004. She knows how fortunate she has been.

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    “If we go back to the first World Cup in 1991, the stories I hear from the players back then. They were picking up the opposition, sharing a house together so that they could play a fixture the next day. Personal sacrifices. During World Cup years I would always move back home so that I didn’t have to pay rent.

    “I could afford to reduce some hours at work and then be able to train more and commit my time to training as opposed to working. The game is moving forward. There is still work to the done but for the game to be moving in that professional era, a hell of a lot of sacrifices from a number of different generations have taken place in order to get it to what it is today.”

    As it stands, women’s rugby is just 14 months out from the start of its next World Cup, a tournament hosted by England that promises to be an event like no other. Burford can’t wait. “Huge amount of excitement.

    “The game is moving at such a rapid pace and what we witnessed over the previous World Cups and then to bring it home and be here on English soil where the game is really strong domestically and internationally and what it can have is that catalyst effect around the globe, there is a big, big buzz.

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    “What has been super exciting is the RFU put a statement out, they want to sell out Twickenham and that is their goal for the final. Everyone is kind of like, ‘We are 100 per cent going to hit that because of what has already happened’. That excitement for the players, for the fans is really a good place to be.

    “I feel incredibly proud of where the game has got to and the support from everybody involved… everybody has shared responsibility to grow the game and this foundation is another step in the right direction of parity and working together and sharing experiences.

    “I feel incredibly proud of where the game is today to where I started. There wasn’t a lot of crossover and there wasn’t a lot of support from the men’s game and it’s great to see that change.”

    With England fresh from completing another Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam campaign and installed as World Cup favourites, you imagine that Burford would love to be a few years younger rather than hanging up the boots in her late 30s. “I guess so,” she agreed.

    “I have been really fortunate for my career and the path that I have gone through. Every year the game has evolved, there is more opportunity for growth, the growth is bigger and any player would want a piece of that, being English and having a World Cup on home soil. I did play in 2010 (when England last hosted) but I’m equally happy to be cheering on the sidelines as well.”

    There will be plenty of time for career reflections after Sunday. Off the top of her head, though, is there one standout that sums it all up?

    “One moment? That’s so tough. It would have to be 2014, winning the World Cup. Having gone to two World Cups and fallen short, to then win it was a moment, a piece of history that can never get taken away from that squad.

    “We will always have that connection together which makes it even more special than just saying you are a World Cup winner. Actually it’s something a lot deeper rooted than that.”

    The great news is that Burford won’t disappear from the sport after Sunday’s final whistle blows at Harlequins as she is already working in rugby administration.

    “I work for International Rugby Players as head of women’s rugby, so working with all the member player associations and the international game, closely working with World Rugby and member bodies to continue to drive the standards in the women’s game off the pitch and on it.”

    How cool is it that the wealth of experience she has will stay in the sport? “That’s such a big thing and I kind of stumbled across it. It wasn’t like I knew that was where I was going to go.

    “We have lost so many incredible players who have so many brilliant assets that they can apply, whether to the game or into business that then could maybe come back into the game. The foundation can harness that, which is an exciting prospect that we can keep hold of these great people who are in our game.”

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

    Players like Prendergast and Finn Smith already have a few seasons at top club level under their belt and are now test players, at an age when NZ players make their debuts in SR.

    That’s just a difference in standards. You’re confusing SR for being their local domestic comps, where it’s more accurately comparable to Champions Cup, apart from that teams are happy to throw games as it’s in a bit of a limbo in terms of importance atm.


    All these kids have been playing for a comparable NPC team for years now. Sam is no where near ready for tests but he has a great temperament, much like Sextons, that makes it a good choice to speed up his development. He wasn’t even a comparable Super Rugby starter before playing for Ireland, so not a great comparison.


    Fin would be much better example, but then England don’t have 3 world class Test tens in front of him (not that I’d put Beauden their but obviously in terms of young NZ players chances, he is). Would he otherwise have debuted at the same age as Fergus Burke (injury and leaving withstanding), around 24, a couple of years later? England also aren’t as pedantic to who they give jerseys to, in NZ a test jersey is very hard earned for the most part.


    In general I think the effects are as you say, but the only difference is the money involved, as you yourself said, their paths are just as all over the show being loaned out playing for clubs etc. My solution to that, and what you perceive as the problem, would be to introduce university football that utilitizes the large investment they have into high performance sport.

    88 Go to comments
    J
    Jennifer Ross 4 hours ago
    One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

    The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton's approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance.

    Regards.

    28 Go to comments
    J
    Jennifer Ross 4 hours ago
    One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

    The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton’s approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance,

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    28 Go to comments
    J
    JW 4 hours ago
    Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

    JJ and DMac shows how little attention you actually pay to the substance of the articles.

    What do you mean by that? For lack of an answer from you I’d suggest yuo need to look at the game again and then read your article. Because although I’m not going to again but I did quickly review the videos and they all match correctly with my perception.

    JTPL is shifting towards overseas players being JQP in future

    No they’re not, thats a flatout lie Nick. You can find an article on here with their CEO where they want more out of their deals but it’s standard professional sports fair, nothing underhand like the NH does. I find that quite foul that you would share such a view.


    I suppose the new World Club League thats starting would die for the best ABs even for just a year, and probably set them up even better. Mo’unga hadn’t done enough to earn a sabbatical though. This is where NZR needs to start questioning itself. You can’t blame the player if the NZR are not even interesting in offering you a contract. In situations where say NZR aren’t able to reach 70% of the offer I think a great starting point would be for them to be treated differently than someone who just left for money. NZR could say make that player immediately eligible if NZR decide to make a fair offer and they sign to return, with players putting in their overseas contracts a right to leave early if they resign back with NZR.


    Even with Japans fading desire for sabbaticals I still think NZ can make it a good destination and have many reciprocal agreements with JRFU and the JRLO teams. The situation still very much favours NZ and Australia but it’s upto them to make the most of it or the JRFU won’t see any reason to be the ones always giving the favours.

    88 Go to comments
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