England Sevens pair Heather Fisher and Alex Matthews have signed for Warriors Women ahead of the 2020/21 Premier 15s season.
The world-class athletes, who were both part of the Red Roses squad that won the 2014 World Cup, add a wealth of experience to Jo Yapp’s side.
“I’m excited to be able to get back onto the field on the new road to Tokyo,” said Fisher, who is targeting a place in the GB Sevens squad for next year’s rescheduled Olympics.
“It’s been hard mentally to find the fire within but being with the girls on the field has been awesome and I’m looking forward to playing alongside them.”
Matthews, a recipient of the RPA Women’s Sevens Player of the Year award on successive occasions in 2017/18 and 2018/19, added: “With the heartbreak of the sevens situation at England, I wanted to be part of a club which is in line with my personal values.
“I’m striving to make the GB Sevens squad for Tokyo next year and playing for Warriors in such a competitive competition as the Premier 15s gives me the opportunity to continue playing at a high standard ahead of the Olympics.
“I’m very grateful that Jo has welcomed me to Sixways, and I’ve been nothing but impressed with the set-up at Sixways since joining up with the girls.
“I can’t wait for the season to start and I’m looking forward to playing alongside an exciting bunch.”
Explosive back-row Fisher, who will take up the position of centre with Warriors, made her Red Roses debut in 2009 and was capped 22-times prior to playing for England Sevens in the World Series.
Representing Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympics, the tenacious flanker won a bronze medal with England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia thanks to a 24-19 victory over Canada. Lydia Thompson opened the scoring that day, with Fisher supplying the killer pass for England’s second score.
Away from her rugby-playing exploits, Fisher has also represented Great Britain in bobsleigh – competing in Junior Championships, the British Championship and on the European circuit.
Inspiring both on and off the field, Birmingham-born Fisher took part in Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins and is currently studying for a Masters in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Gloucestershire.
Meanwhile, game-changing back-row Matthews, 27, burst onto the international scene in 2011 and was among the youngest members of the squad to lift the World Cup in 2014.
Matthews went on to feature in every game of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland and was awarded Player of the Match against the USA as well as starting the final against New Zealand. She was also part of the England Sevens bronze medal-winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games alongside fellow teammates Thompson and Fisher.
Matthews has notched up 100 points on the World Series and as well as being voted back-to-back RPA Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, she completed a degree in Psychology at the University of Roehampton in 2014.
Warriors Women Director of Rugby Jo Yapp said: “We are so pleased to have both Alex and Fisher joining us at Worcester – they both come with a wealth of experience.
“It’s been such a challenging time for them both, but they have been so positive at training and have fitted straight in.
“They have a really strong skill set and a real desire to still learn and develop their 15-aside game. Fisher has already brought a real intensity to training and having played for Worcester before, it’s great to see her back.
“As a back-row Alex has great power and pace and adds to what is a really strong area for us. We are really looking forward to seeing them both play this season.”