Donna Rose (rugby union)

Donna Rose (born 5 June 1991) is a Welsh Rugby Union player who plays prop for the Wales women's national rugby union team and Saracens. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2021 and represented them at the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.[1]

Donna Rose
Date of birth (1985-06-05) 5 June 1985 (age 39)
Place of birthSalisbury, England
Height1.7 m (5.6 ft)
Weight95 kg (15.0 st)
Occupation(s)Carpenter, rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Saracens
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019-present
2010-2019
Saracens
Trojans
()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021–present Wales 9
Correct as of 3 June 2021

Club career

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Growing up in Hampshire, Rose began playing rugby as a teenager, first as a winger for Ellingham & Ringwood RFC under-18s, and later in the back-row for Trojans, for which she made 153 appearances.[2]

After captaining the team for five years, she was approached by then-coach Alex Austerberry to play for Saracens.[2] She signed with the team as prop in 2019.[3]

International career

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A Welsh grandfather enabled Rose to join the Wales national squad.[2] She made her debut in the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship in a match against France.[4]

Rose has won nine caps in her rugby career to date.[1] She was selected in Wales squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[5][6]

Personal life

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A trained chef, Rose now works full time as a carpenter with a housing association.[2]

She has been outspoken about her experiences of living with borderline personality disorder (BPD), saying in an interview that she wants to use her platform "to show others that you can live a good life with BPD".[4] She has spoken out against discrimination she has faced for her Traveller background.[7] Rose is an ambassador for rugby-focused mental health charity Brave Mind, and for Rugby Against Cancer.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Donna Rose". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  2. ^ a b c d "Carpenter Rose passionate to ply her trade with Wales". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  3. ^ Price, Lucy (2019-07-09). "Donna Rose". Saracens. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  4. ^ a b c April 2021, Gary Heatly Friday 9. "Donna Rose Exclusive: "I want to share my experience of living with Borderline Personality Disorder to help others"". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-06-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Jones, Liz (2022-09-21). "Wales Rugby World Cup squad named". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  6. ^ "Wales: Siwan Lillicrap captains 32-player Rugby World Cup squad featuring 19 tournament debutants". Sky Sports. 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  7. ^ Sands, Katie (21 April 2022). "'Everyone thought I was a thug and I tried to take my own life — now I play rugby for Wales'". Wales Online. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
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