Jade Shekells has been named Warriors Women Players’ Player of the Season following a stellar 2020/21 Allianz Premier 15s campaign, which yielded a flurry of outstanding tries.
The game-changing centre, who has represented England Under-20s, notched up five tries for Warriors this term and was a Premier 15s Try of the Month contender on a series of occasions.
Shekells’ consistency at the heart of Warriors’ backline helped Jo Yapp’s side to a seventh placed finish in the Premier 15s, her scintillating scores against Sale Sharks and Bristol Bears towards the end of the campaign underlining her growing credentials.
Flo Long was the recipient of the Most Improved Player of the Season having stepped up to the plate seamlessly in the absence of experienced Red Roses front-row Laura Keates, who sustained an ACL away to Sale last autumn.
Long, 20, joined Warriors last summer and has shown a real hunger to develop and learn which has earned her exposure within Simon Middleton’s England training camp. Having represented England at under-18 and under-20 level, Long will undoubtedly have her sights set on making the next leap when the 2021/22 season gets underway.
Club Person went to Lowri Williams, who has strived above and beyond the call of duty throughout the season and has heavily bought into the club’s values.
The Welsh native is currently studying Sport, Physical Education and Health and Wellbeing at Cardiff Met University where she regularly commutes from for training and matchdays. Williams, 21, joined Warriors ahead of this season and has been patient in waiting for her opportunity which came last month when she made her debut as a second half replacement at Harlequins.
Meg Varley picked up the S&C Award, the lung-busting athlete forming a mouth-watering centre partnership with Shekells particularly at the business end of the season. The ex-England Under-20 international has witnessed real change at Sixways Stadium over the years, as a culture shift spearheaded by the current owners and Women’s Director of Rugby Jo Yapp has led to an upturn in fortunes on the pitch.
“Both the staff and the players have worked so hard this season and as a squad, we have moved forward both on and off the field,” said Yapp.
“The end of season awards was an opportunity to recognise some outstanding individual performances and all four recipients were deserved winners.”
Players’ Player of the Season | Jade Shekells
Most Improved | Flo Long
Club Person | Lowri Williams
S&C Award | Meg Varley