Linda Pauline Uttley (26 October 1966 – 27 November 2009) was an English rugby union footballer.

Linda Uttley
Date of birth(1966-10-26)26 October 1966
Place of birthBarnes, London, England
Date of death27 November 2009(2009-11-27) (aged 43)
Place of deathEsher, Surrey, England
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1989-1995 Teddington Rugby Club ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1995-2007 Wasps ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1997-2007 England

She was born in Barnes, London and was the youngest of eight siblings.[1] Her rugby career began in 1989 at Teddington Rugby Club.[2] She moved to Wasps Rugby Club in 1995 and won her first international cap in 1997, the start of her career with the Women's England Team.[3] She won a total of thirteen caps, playing in every position except full-back, hooker and prop, and was a member of the squads in the Five Nations and World Cup in 1998.[4] She went on to play for the Classic Lionesses in Bermuda in 2000.[3]

In November 2007 she was diagnosed with 'end-stage' leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.[2][4] Despite her illness, she continued to work for the Rugby Football Union and toured with the England Lionesses.[3] She died on 27 November 2009 at Princess Alice Hospice in Esher at the age of 43.[3] She remains the only deceased capped Englishwoman.

Since then, winners of the RFU Linda Uttley Award, in recognition of the commitment and dedication of an individual, have included Sophie Hemming[5] and Catherine Spencer.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Lives in brief: Linda Uttley and Alex Parker". The Times. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b Fiona Hackett (27 November 2009). "Former player Linda Uttley". waspsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Joanna Kilvington (1 December 2009). "Women's rugby star Linda Uttley dies of cancer". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Tributes pour in for Uttley". Scrum Queens. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Sophie Hemming". womensrugbydata.com. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Catherine Spencer". globalaccountingnetwork.net. Retrieved 28 February 2022.