Matthews and Muir in line for awards

GLOUCESTERHARTPURY’S Alex Matthews and Maud Muir have been rewarded for their form on the international stage for the Red Roses this year.

Matthews is one of five players shortlisted for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, the top accolade in the sport.

Muir is nominated for World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year, after bursting on to the international scene over the last 12 months.

Matthews made the move to Gloucester-hartpury from

Worcester Warriors in the summer and has won 56 caps since making her Red Roses debut in 2011.

She was part of their victorious 2014 Rugby World Cup winning squad, and the 29-year-old is also a hugely successful sevens player, having won bronze in the 2018 Commonwealth Games with England, finished fourth at Tokyo 2020 with Team GB and being voted RPA World Sevens Player of the Year in 2018.

Matthews was an integral part of England’s team that reached a sixth successive

Rugby World Cup Final on Saturday, while prop Muir also made an appearance in their 34-31 defeat to the Black Ferns.

Muir made her Red Roses’ debut in November last year and featured in all four of England’s 2021 autumn internationals and made her first start against the USA.

She was instrumental in England’s 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam-winning campaign.

Like Matthews, Muir joined Gloucester-hartpury this season, moving from Wasps and has won 17 England caps.