Wales ace had to appeal for donations to raise money for op after training injury
WALES rugby star Alisha Butchers has been left overwhelmed after thousands of pounds were raised to fund her ankle surgery in just six hours.
The 23-year-old flanker, who has represented her country 28 times in the 15-player code, as well as in Wales’s Sevens programme, took to social media on Friday to appeal for donations to pay for surgery required after picking up an injury in training.
Ahead of her operation on Saturday, Swansea-born Butchers wrote: “I am a current Wales international, and Bristol Bears rugby player, looking for support to help raise funds for an ankle operation due to an injury that I obtained during a Bristol Bears rugby training session.
“Bristol Bears are able to fund a portion of the medical expenses, therefore I am aiming to fund-raise the remaining amount myself to ensure I return to full fitness as swiftly as possible.
“Due to the amount that is required I cannot fully afford the cost of the surgery and follow-up appointments that are needed. Therefore, I would like to ask for any support that you can give.
“I have many aspirations and goals in sport and would be very grateful for any donation that people and able to make.”
Had Butchers been injured while on Wales duty, we understand her medical situation would have been different.
Butchers, who plays semi-professionally in England’s top women’s league Premier 15s, posted her crowdfunding appeal just before 1pm on Friday and just six hours later, £5,071 had been raised from a target of £4,995.
“I have reached my target!” Butchers said on Friday night. “The turnaround has been incredible. Just goes to show how strong the rugby community it. Thank you all once again, completely overwhelmed.”
As of Saturday morning, £6,426 had been raised.
While the spirit of the rugby and women’s sport community is to be applauded for its generosity, questions have been raised over why it was necessary for an international rugby player to crowdfund for her own surgery.
In the same week of the announcement that the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year in New Zealand is to be postponed by 12 months, the gulf between men’s and women’s rugby has never been more evident.
Bristol Bears is owned by billionaire Stephen Lansdowne, with the men’s squad boasting global superstars like Semi Radradra, Kyle Sinckler and Charles Piutau.
England World Cup winner Danielle Waterman wrote on Twitter: “I don’t even know where to start with this.
“A current Premiership and international player is having to self fund an operation on the back of an injury sustained training?! Surely as a sport we need to look long and hard at what is prioritised to protect/support players?”
Butchers’ Wales and Bristol teammate Jasmine Joyce wrote on Twitter: “Shame it has to come to this, but please show your support and donate where possible.”
After reaching the target, she later added: “Honestly we can’t thank everyone enough for the support and to [have] raised the amount already, we are overwhelmed”.
Wales rugby international Ffion Lewis said: “Such a shame that women are still experiencing these issues within our sport. Please read, share and donate”.
Among those to donate were Wales rugby internationals Manon Johnes, Robyn Lock, Siwan Lillicrap, Natalia John, Kiera Bevan, Kerin Lake, Cerys Hale and Elinor Snowsill, football international Megan Wynne, and Gareth Anscombe’s wife Milica.
Butchers, who made her Wales debut in 2016 and is known for her tireless work rate and energy with ball in hand, also works as a sport development officer for Carmarthenshire Council, a role she will need to take time off from as she recovers.
She has already been unable to work in her full capacity due to injury, preventing her from delivering online physical activity sessions for young people.
Butchers was last on Wales duty in new head coach Warren Abrahams’s first training camp of 2021 in preparation for the postponed Women’s Six Nations in April.
Bristol Bears Women currently sit seventh in the Premier 15s table, above Worcester, Sale and Darlington Mowden Park Sharks.