Aldcroft ‘absolutely shocked’ at World Player of the Year success
GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY and England forward Zoe Aldcroft has been named World Rugby’s player of the year for 2021.
The 25-year-old second row beat England team-mate Poppy Cleall and French duo Caroline Boujard and Laure Sansus to the award.
Named England captain for the first time on her 25th birthday, Aldcroft led her team to an 89-0 victory over the USA and marked the occasion with a try.
She started all eight of England’s matches in 2021 as the Red Roses extended their unbeaten run to 18 Tests and won a third successive Women’s Six Nations title.
Aldcroft was awarded the title infront of her teammates by Maggie Alphonsi at training.
She said: “I am absolutely shocked and made up to be named World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year 2021. It was an honour to be nominated in the first instance and I’m absolutely over the moon.
“Having seen the likes of Emily Scarratt and Sarah Hunter, who I have the privilege of playing with, win this award in recent years and to follow in their footsteps is an amazing feeling.
“Any individual awards are a reflection of a team effort and I’d like to dedicate this to all of the teammates, coaching and management staff that I work with for club and country. Their support is invaluable and I can’t thank them enough for everything they do.
“From an England perspective, we’re looking forward to the Six Nations and then the World Cup in New Zealand later in 2022 – we’re heading into a huge year for the women’s game.”
Aldcroft was a try scorer on Saturday as Gloucester-hartpury stunned Exeter Chiefs 10-8 in the Allianz Premier 15s at Sandy Park.
She was first on the scoresheet, picking up the ball from the base of a ruck and darting over from five metres out.
Chiefs responded with what appeared to be a legitimate try from Jennine Detiveaux, ruled out because of the perceived grounding, but Patricia García followed that up with a scything run through the visitors’ defence to claw one back for Susie Appleby’s side.
García’s conversion was charged down by Emma Sing, as Gloucester-hartpury took a two-point lead into the break.
García edged Exeter into the lead from the tee after the re-start, but Gloucester-hartpury fizzed the ball out wide to Kelly Smith, who flew over in the corner to win the game.
In Women’s Championship North One, Cheltenham won 55-24 at Barnsley, Emma Hennessy scoring four tries.
Bethan Jones, Alice Burtonshaw, Maisie Jerrim and Rebecca Trist also crossed for the Tigers, with Erin Caughey kicking five conversions to keep the side second in the table.