Shrewsbury teenager in-line for England debut

A Shrewsbury Sports Village member could realise a lifelong dream this weekend by winning her maiden England cap.

Natalee Evans, from Shrewsbury, is in the England under 18 squad for a fixture against Wales on Sunday 5^th March - and she’s stepping up her preparation by taking advantage of the facilities at the Shrewsbury Sports Village.

Natalee – who plays at the Worcester Warriors Centre of Excellence - made the cut following an intense three-day camp at the Lilleshall National Sports & Conferencing Centre – and the 17-year-old will look to add further caps when the young Red Roses kick-off their Six Nations campaign in April.

On the training camp at Lilleshall, Natalee said: “It was my first experience of international rugby and I learnt so much from the more experienced girls. In my role as a Centre, you must be able to run, tackle, pass and kick – so learning from the best at my age can only be a good thing.”

Worcester Warriors provide Natalee with a dedicated gym and nutrition programme to ensure she’s in the best physical condition possible – and she’s thankful that Shrewsbury Sports Village can accommodate her regime. She said: “The gym is so important to me in my day-to-day life. For rugby, I need it to increase my strength and keep myself in the best condition to compete at the highest level. But even with my academic work, it’s so good for me to switch off for a while and concentrate on my fitness.

“The gym at Shrewsbury Sports Village is perfect for me. The kit in there means I’m able to stick to my fitness programme and continue to reach my goals.

“I’d like to thank the team for their continued support, and I hope I can take them a cap back in the next couple of weeks and call myself an England international.”