Team News | DMP Durham Sharks v Warriors Women

El Febrey makes a welcome return to Warriors Women’s starting XV for tomorrow’s Allianz Premier 15s trip to DMP Durham Sharks (kick-off 3pm). 

It will be more than a year since Febrey was in action, an ACL meaning the former England Under-20 hooker faced hours of rehab, which coincided with her midwifery degree at the University of Worcester.

Delighted to have her back in the mix as Warriors open their 2022 account in the northeast, Director of Rugby Jo Yapp said: “We’re so excited to have El back on the field for this weekend’s trip and it is testament to her desire and determination to get herself back to full fitness.

“It’s always a really tough rehab programme when recovering from an ACL, and it’s made even tougher by the fact that she’s been training to be a midwife.

“There have been huge challenges for her, and she’s just overcome them. It’s just brilliant to see her back on the field.”

From one player studying at the University of Worcester to alumni Cara Brincat, who is set to make her 50th appearance for the club.

The blindside flanker, a PE Teacher at Trinity School, packs down for her milestone outing alongside England star Alex Matthews. Brincat is part of a forward line that sees Lisa Campbell and Jemima Moss start at loosehead prop and second-row respectively. Jo Brown occupies the number-eight berth, with the England capped ball carrier returning to her former stomping ground.

Meanwhile in the backline, scrum-half Jess Kershaw earns her first Premier 15s start alongside fly-half Sarah Nicholas, with Jade Shekells and Meg Varley forming a mouth-watering centre partnership. Vicky Laflin, who scored a sensational try when the two teams last met at The Darlington Arena, starts on the wing.

“We haven’t got the Wales and Scotland internationals this week, so it’s a big opportunity for a number of players,” added Yapp.

“DMP had a good result against Bristol and they’re getting stronger as the team goes on, so we’re not taking them lightly. We’re going up there fully expecting a tough encounter.”

Warriors Women | 15 Carys Cox, 14 Lydia Thompson, 13 Jade Shekells, 12 Meg Varley (cc), 11 Vicky Laflin, 10 Sarah Nicholas, 9 Jess Kershaw, 1 Lisa Campbell, 2 El Febrey, 3 Flo Long, 4 Jemima Moss, 5 Elizabeth Shermer, 6 Cara Brincat, 7 Alex Matthews (cc), 8 Jo Brown

Replacements | 16 Carmen Tremelling, 17 Stef Evans, 18 Abby Smitheman, 19 Alycia Washington, 20 Amelia Buckland Hurry, 21 Sara Moreira, 22 Ellen Murphy, 23 Vicky Foxwell

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