Shaunagh swaps her fire drill for scrum practice
FIREFIGHTER Shaunagh Brown has put country before career after earning one of the RFU’s first fulltime contracts for women.
England prop Brown will now give up trying to save lives in the fireservice and devote her energies to winning scrums as a professional rugby player.
Brown explained: “My England contract means I have now chosen a desk job at the fireservice.
“I have changed my role to work in a different department and I am now a recruitment support officer.
“I wanted to stay employed and the service wanted to keep me, so this is a solution which gives me flexible hours.”
Brown has also switched from being a Harlequins and England flanker to a prop forward with the national team.
“I like it because it gives me something new to learn and conquer,” she said. “Every scrum situation is a new battle and I relish the way you have to go literally head to head with your opposite number.”
She added: “The awarding of pro contracts is a big step forward for rugby.”
Brown, one of the first 28 full-time England professionals, was in England’s matchday squad to play Ireland on Friday.
One fifth of the England squad have been awarded lesser EPS agreements.
Brown says: “As people and players we get on with it. Ultimately, we are still an enlarged England team of 35. Also those not on the higher contracts know there will be opportunities to join the squad and train and they will get paid properly for those outings.”
Brown, 28, qualified with the Kent fireservice last year, and was based at RAF Manston. She was having to juggle long commutes several times a week to play and train with Harlequins, based at the Stoop in West London.
Her England pay is around £20,000 plus match fees. She says: “It’s enough to live on. For some who had other careers and day jobs it may be a pay cut, but the introduction of fulltime England salaries is without doubt a very big step forward.”
Brown has five caps, the first earned as a flanker when she debuted in 2017. She has switched to prop full-time by choice although she did face competition for a starting place as an England flanker from Marlie Packer and Abbie Scott.
England coach Simon Middleton said: “I am confident this group of players have the potential to grow into the world-class squad we will be looking to take to New Zealand in 2021.
“The introduction of fulltime contracts will unquestionably help us to accelerate the development process. This is a huge opportunity and we recognise the expectation that comes with the investment.”